


Love, Eventually

by dickard23



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Lemon, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-28
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-02-23 00:09:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 23,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2526761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dickard23/pseuds/dickard23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aang is watching down on Lin from the Spirit World. Sokka and Suki are watching down on Sokka's love child, who he never met when he was alive. Since they are both alone and at a distance from their family, they decide to set the two up. Love and drama ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How We Met

“Councilman Tenzin and Pema are expecting their first child,” the newspapers all read. “Will it be an airbender?”

Lin kept herself on office duty all day to avoid the media. She showed up to work early and left late; it was the only way of having any modicum of privacy. She thought after the wedding, the humiliation would stop, but it just kept going. Everyone wanted to know how the jilted ex felt about everything. Sometimes, she felt like she was nothing more than Tenzin’s ex-lover or the girl who Pema replaced. She wished she was just Lin. 

It was so unfair. How did he keep her identity yet she lost hers? She still had a photo of her and Tenzin at her desk. He hugged her when she first joined the force. Uncle Aang took the photo. Even he didn’t see this coming when he died. He did tell Tenzin to start getting serious, but he didn’t even realize how Tenzin would take those words.

Aang watched from above. He wanted his son to be happy, but he loved Lin too, and it was unsettling how sad she still was after all this time. He just wanted her to find someone.

Sokka was watching someone from above too. His son, a man Sokka must admit he never met, wandered around aimlessly, looking for somewhere to belong. The man deserved more than the hand he got dealt, but for reasons beyond his control, he was alone in the world, away from the women who raised him, estranged from his only sister and had never even seen his only niece except for in photographs that were published in the paper.

Suki was with her husband and her good friend Aang in the spirit world. “Maybe we should help them along?”

It was a Friday. Lin was headed home like she usually was but on the way, she saw a bar she had not seen before. She wasn’t sure why, but she could hear a voice telling her to go inside, so she did. She got to the bar and there was a tall man drinking alone on the side. She was about to find the other corner to sit by herself, but he turned to her and smiled. His hair was raven black, his eyes gold, and he had nice, strong looking cheekbones. His nice jacket all but swore he was Fire Nation nobility.

“You should try the fallen lady.”

“What?”

“It’s a drink here. I think it’s more interesting than the swill you usually find in bars.”

Why not? Lin ordered one and sat down near him.

“You weren’t waiting for someone, were you?”

“Oh no. Can’t say I have anyone to wait for these days.”

“Did you ever?” That sounded rude. She didn’t know why she said that.

“Well, my mother was always late picking me up from school, so I used to wait for her everyday.”

She snickered. “My mother didn’t always remember at all. By the time I was eight, I could walk home by myself.”

“I was far enough away that my mother drove me to school on her motorcycle.”

“She didn’t have a car?”

“Nah. Motorcycles are 1/3 the price and cheaper to fuel.”

“You hardly look like someone who is low on money.”

He shrugged. “I’m nouveau riche in a way. I had humbler beginnings.”

Lin’s drink arrived. “It was boozy and had dark chocolate. I think I’m in heaven.”

“I thought you might like it.”

“Because it’s chocolate?”

“Yeah and it has whiskey. It was also a test. If whiskey and chocolate were a problem for you, I’m pretty sure that’s a deal breaker.”

She rolled her eyes. “It sounds like a rule my mother would have, although she might prioritize meat over chocolate. I wouldn’t.”

“Me neither.”

A few rounds later and Lin was officially too drunk to drive home. A few rounds after that and she showed him her rarely seen goofy side.

“I never had a father to take me to work, so my “uncle Sokka” took me with him. I was all excited to see what a Councilman did all day. I swear that he had the most boring job I ever saw. I was so bored that I started practicing my metalbending and somehow I managed to destroy the entire electricity system in City Hall. They had to fly in the world’s experts to get it running by the next day. My mother says she never got such a big bill in her life. She contested it of course. I was too young to be sued, but it was a story I didn’t get to live down, well, she still makes fun of me for it. How did a vandal like you make Police Chief? I swear she’s an old bag.”

He laughed. “I never knew my father either. I was actually adopted, but I met my birth mother as she was friends with the woman who she gave me to.”

“What was she like?”

“She did her best, but I quickly understood why she gave me up. She had PTSD after the war and she got psychiatric care, but it didn’t work so well, and she ran away, struggling to make it on her own. When she found out she was pregnant, she knew she wanted something more stable for her child, so she gave me to her best friend.”

“Did your father know about you?”

“He did, but he was married and my mother didn’t want his wife to leave him, so she decided for him that I would live with her friend instead. He didn’t contest it, and before I could try to meet him as an adult, he died. I have a sister, but I don’t know if she knows about me. I didn’t want to destroy the image she has of our father or her parents’ marriage, so I never contacted her. I saw her in public once. I even saw her with our dad, but she was with her mom, and they all looked so happy. I just turned and walked away.”

Lin couldn’t believe how similar this guy was to her: no father, shaky relationship with his mother who probably was never meant to raise kids and a sister who’s out of his life. On the outside, he looked perfect, but somehow, he was just as broken as she. Before she knew it, she slipped her arms around him. He returned in kind. He was clearly a firebender. Only firebenders got this warm without being sick.

It felt good to be held like this, and not out of pity like she felt almost every hug she got since Tenzin left her had been. His lips brushed against hers, a kiss light enough not to be offensive if she didn’t feel the same way. Lin did nothing lightly and pulled his head to hers, crashing their lips together.

Kuzon’s mouth was sweet and spicy and it was so warm, almost too warm, but right now he was perfect. Her hands ran through his long locks. His hair was longer than hers and prettier too. His arms found their way around her body. They were strong. He had been a member of the United Forces before he retired out and went into business.

He offered to share a taxi ride home with her. She couldn’t drive, so she accepted. Their hands touched, and they ended up making out the whole way there. He had been expecting to go to his home after she got dropped off, but then they stumbled out of the cab together, fumbling as they got to her door. He picked her up, unsure of where her bedroom actually was and she had to direct him.

Her home was gorgeous, courtesy of being a Bei Fong, but he could admire the architecture later. Right now, he had a more pressing matter, and it was pressing into her stomach.

He was the first man in her bed since Tenzin and the two were nothing alike. Lin always had taken charge with the airhead, but Kuzon was different. He moved quickly and confidently, lips searing into her neck and poker like fingertips exploring her body intently. She would keep fighting him for control, but she would only let him win in the end. She wanted him on top of her, and it wasn’t just because he was gorgeous. Somehow, she completely trusted him and she didn’t trust anybody.

She wrapped her legs around him. He whispered something just for her in her ear before he leaned forward. This was it. There was no stopping now.


	2. Sexy Time with Lin and Kuzon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their first night together.

Lin groaned loudly when he pushed his way inside of her. He was big and thick. She was tight, not having  had sex in years and she had never had anything in her this deep.

He stopped. "Did that hurt?" He hoped it didn't. She felt really amazing. 

"Keep going," she gasped. 

He slowly pulled out just to slam into her. She gave deep, throaty groans as he moved in and out of her, using his forearms to hover over her so he didn't crush her with his weight. She wanted to feel him. She pulled him closer to her body, his muscles pressing into her curves. 

He loved the noises she made while he was inside of her. His hot lips found her neck and began to suck on her flesh. He was determined to mark her as his and she left bites of her own on his chest. He kissed her throat, seemingly sucking the air out of it as she scratched his back with her talons. 

Soon, the pleasure became too much for him. Kuzon thrusted faster and harder into her, causing her to moan and scream and cry out. She roughly pulled on his hair. He grabbed her hips and held them still as he fucked her. 

"Are you there?" he grunted.

"Almost."

He moved his hand in between them and began to roughly rub her clitoris. The direct contact caused her to hiss loudly and soon she started to gush for him. "OH FUCK! OH FUCK!" He had a smirk on his face as he continued to ravish her. Soon, he came inside her, filling her with his hot seed. 

When he pulled out, he was still semi-hard. He hoped they weren't done for the night because he was on fire.

She went to get some water. When she got back in bed, his lips and tongue started worshiping her neck and chest 

"You're gorgeous," he told her.

"No I'm not." She didn't believe him for a second.

He kissed her hard on the mouth. "Yes you are."

"I have scars everywhere, my face ..." He kissed the scars her sister left and proceeded to kiss every mark her on her body that he found. "I want all of you, scars, everything."

Before she could respond, he grabbed her leg, flipping her on top and he thrusted into her from below.

"OH FUCK!"

"Ride me," he hissed. His hands held her hips in place. She put her hands on his shoulders and began to move up and down. They were going to keep going until one of them past out. Lin had a feeling, it would be she who wore out first.


	3. Tenzin Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenzin goes to Lin's house to talk to her and is surprised to see her with a new man.

Tenzin always had horrible timing. Out of all of his siblings, he was the most likely to walk in on their parents making love. He walked in on Bumi and who knows what girl, Kya and some girl she had over; it was always him and it didn’t have to be their bedroom. It could be by the lake near their house or in the barn in Bumi’s case. If there was sex to be had and Tenzin didn’t want to know about it, then he would find out about it, visually

He was worried about Pema’s safety. There was another attempt to kidnap Korra and who knows what type of plot is afoot. None of the criminals would talk, no matter how hard they tried. He wanted an investigation done here to see if there was any connection to the criminals who got caught in the Southern Water Tribe and Republic City, but an investigation of this sort required the chief’s go ahead. There had been no crime here, so the officers in the precinct lacked the authority to start digging around until she said for them to dig around.

“I don’t know why she’s not here,” an officer told Tenzin. “She’s kind of been working obsessively ever since (you announced your pregnancy to the media)” Oh I probably shouldn’t tell him that.

“I’ll try her at her home.”

He called, but he received no answer.

He decided to pay her a house call, the first time he went to her home since they broke up. Her car wasn’t there. He wondered if she was home at all, but he knocked anyway.

Lin was in the shower. Kuzon was making her breakfast, when he heard the knock. It wasn’t his door, so he didn’t answer, but the knocking persisted, getting louder and louder. Finally, Kuzon flipped over the pancakes and went to go get it.

“Can I help you?”

Tenzin was not expecting to see a buff Fire Nation man who was only wearing pants. Given the bite marks on his chest and his messy hair, it was clear why he had been there this morning.

“Where’s Lin?”

“In the shower. Hold on, I have to make sure breakfast doesn’t burn.” He went back to the kitchen and flipped over the bacon and the omelet before turning the stove to low.

The shower turned off. Kuzon knocked and told her she had a visitor.

Lin rolled her eyes. She skips work once and gets a rookie sent to check on her. What did they think she did, od last night?

She dried off and put on her bathrobe and slippers before coming outside.

“What the hell are you doing here?” It was Tenzin.

“I wanted to talk to you about a protective detail for Pema and investigating an attack that happened in the Southern Water Tribe.”

She couldn’t just throw him out. “Well, I’m going to put on clothes and you can tell me whatever you have to tell me over breakfast.”

She went to her bedroom to get dressed. He would show up when she got a little nookie.

Tenzin glared at Kuzon.

“What are you mad at me for? It’s not my fault she prefers a man with hair.”

* * *

 

Before Tenzin could respond, Lin came back out. She dressed herself in record time, not wanting to leave the two men alone together.

“This smells awesome.” Lin said as she got closer. Tenzin rarely ever made her breakfast and never bacon for obvious reasons.

“I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I made some of everything.”

“Well, you should know a Bei Fong will pretty much eat anything that has meat or chocolate in it.”

“Good to know.”

She filled her plate with pancakes, mixed fruit, eggs and bacon. He even made coffee, which he had left black for her. It was how she drank it anyway.

“So why do you think Pema needs protective anything?”

“Do we have to talk in front of him?”

“He’s not the one attacking Pema is he?”

“Well, no.” It was possible, but highly unlikely.

“Then pretend he’s not there.”

“Fine.” He glared at Kuzon again. Lin saw it but didn’t comment. “There was a second attempt to kidnap Korra. Again, no one knows why and the suspects won’t talk. Since they are targeting her before she can even bend, I must assume that they want to raise her to believe in whatever they are trying to accomplish and I am concerned that they would also want my child.”

“Assuming it’s an airbender and assuming that they would need an airbender other than Korra.”

“Well yes, but no one else has anything right now.”

“And how am I supposed to investigate what happened in the tribe. I have no jurisdiction over it.”

“You don’t, but can’t you at least find out if the kidnapping suspects have ties to Republic City.”

“I can do that, but why didn’t you just go to the precinct?”

“I did, and they said they couldn’t start a goose chase unless you told them to.”

“Well I did tell them that. I’ll call it in and have them nose around. As for the protective detail, I’ll reserve judgment on that until I see if there’s anything going on in Republic City that could be related to Korra. She will obviously be protected at public events, but having her followed by guards all day sounds too big for our budget, especially with no threats having been made against her or you.

Are we done here?”

“Yeah we’re done.”

Tenzin didn’t know why it mad him so angry seeing her with that guy. He wasn’t surprised Lin was mad when he replaced her with a younger woman. He never thought she’d move on to a younger man.”

“I’m sorry about him. Tenzin kind of expects the world to just be ready for him when he feels like showing up.”

“Nothing to apologize for. Your ex wouldn’t be jealous if there was nothing for him to be jealous of.”

* * *

When Lin did get to work on Monday, she had pep to her step. She hadn’t felt this happy in quite some time. Kuzon had ended up staying over all weekend, only leaving on Sunday evening since he had work on Monday as well.

The officers were all wondering why they didn’t see her all weekend.

“Don’t take this the wrong way Chief, but why are you so happy?”

“Can’t a gal just have a good weekend?”

“You got nookie didn’t you? Oh yeah, a lot of it!”

She didn’t deny it. “Don’t make me send you to sensitivity training!”

“I’ll send myself if you tell me about him.”

“Not gonna happen.”

“Aw!”

Her officers didn’t find anything to suggest that these kidnappers were based in Republic City. In fact, they seemed to have come from all over the place, the Northern Water Tribe, Ba Sing Se, Omashu and other places.

“Audit their financial records and check into their work histories. Maybe there is some kind of pattern.”

Lin wasn’t going to spend too much time on this, but since it involved Korra, it seemed worth looking into, even if it was just Airhead trying to think too hard.

If Lin thought she could hide her new love interest, she was mistaken. On Tuesday, she received a big piece of chocolate cake and a card that asked her out to dinner on Friday.

“OOH! Chief’s gotta boyfriend!”

She wanted to kill her squad sometimes, but it was a good time for cake. It was always a good time for cake.

“Hush up!”

At the end of the day, she was going to leave work at a normal hour when Tenzin came by.

“I haven’t found anything involving Republic City and those kidnappers.”

“I’m not too surprised by that.”

“We’re going to keep looking for Korra’s benefit, but it we don’t find anything soon, we’ll have to leave this to the authorities that actually have the case.”

“I see. How have you been Lin?”

“What?” Why is he making personal inquiries?

“We haven’t seen each other in a while.”

“I wonder why,” she said dryly.

“I know we have our past but …”

“No, you have a past. I get stuck with the present. Do you have any idea how much it sucks being your ex-girlfriend? Anytime anything happens to you, the reporters drive across town to me and see how I will react. Councilman Tenzin announced his pregnancy. How do you feel? Should it have been your child and not Pema’s? You could sneeze, and people will ask me if I could have kept you healthier better than she does.”

Tenzin knew the media liked to talk, but he didn’t realize how much it bothered her.

“Lin, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize …”

“No you didn’t. You’ve always been an airhead. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going home.”

He just got to walk away. She was the one who got daily reminders of him. Maybe it wasn’t his fault that the media sucked, but he didn’t have to keep feeding them every time something happened to him. Lots of people have babies. Very rarely, do they feel the need to make a public announcement about it and do an exclusive interview. Could he be anymore of an asshole?

“And I was having a good day too,” Lin mumbled as she got into her car, and then I got stuck with an airhead.

She drove off. Tenzin was still at her desk. He felt frozen in time. He was hoping that someday they could be friends again. He wondered if that was impossible now.


	4. Call the Press

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pema is upset about the rumors in the paper about Linzin, so Tenzin asked Lin to talk to the media and say they're not together. She does, but the situation only gets worse for Tenzin

It didn’t take long for the media to realize Lin was involved with someone. She kept smiling, which for her was a rarity, and since they took her picture often, they would know.

Rumors started flying. “Was Tenzin leaving Pema for Lin? Did he just find out his baby is a nonbender?” All kinds of gossip was circulating from she was going to have Pema abducted to she had given Tenzin some kind of poison and only she had the antidote and she would only give it to him if he left his wife.

Lin found it comical how they still thought her life was intertwined with Twinkle Toes Jr.

Pema, however, did not appreciate these rumors at all. “What’s going on between you and Lin?”

“What?” Tenzin questioned. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

She showed him the paper.

“This. They make up stuff all day.”

“They said you’ve been going to the precinct a lot. They have your picture.”

“What? I as seeing about getting a protective detail for you and trying to see if they had anything on Korra. I only dealt with Lin because she’s the Chief.”

The rumors kept going on. Pema insisted that Tenzin do something about it and he went to Lin’s office.

Lin was admiring a fine bottle of whiskey that Kuzon had sent her. He had to go visit his mother, and the whiskey was collateral that he would come back. He said he wanted to share it with her, so he would have to get back to her before she could drink it all.

“What is this?” Tenzin threw a newspaper on her desk.

Unsure of what he was talking about, she read the headline, “Sato comes out with a new car.”

“NO!” he yelled. He pointed to something else.

“I see. 'Councilman Tenzin found out Pema’s baby isn’t his and is going back to Lin.' Like I’d take your bony butt back!”

The other officers in the room guffawed.

“These rumors have to stop!”

“They’ve been going on for years. You just didn’t care before because they were all about me. What can to I do to stop it? I can’t shut down the press.”

“Can’t you put out a statement or something?”

“What do you want me to do, go in front of the cameras and say, I don’t want Tenzin, and I never will.”

“YES!”

“Fine, when my boyfriend comes back, we’ll give these idiots something to gossip about.”

* * *

 

Lin smiled. Tenzin was going to hate this.

It was a week before Kuzon came back. She asked him to pick her up from work.

“Is there something wrong with your car?” he asked.

“Oh no. I just wanted you to walk out with me.”

They left her office and when they got outside, Lin saw a group of reporters. She grabbed Kuzon’s collar and kissed him in front of everyone. The media was going to love this.

Tenzin promised Pema that the rumors about him and Lin, called "Linzin Drama" in the papers, would stop. Little did he realize, the new drama would be:

“Chief Lin Bei Fong has Replaced Tenzin with Sexy Stud!”

“Who is this mystery man?”

“How is his hair so fabulous?”

“Look at his smile.”

“Tenzin must be reeling now!”

They all made him look like a jealous little fuck. He was quite annoyed.

* * *

 

“This isn’t funny,” Tenzin yelled as he banged on Lin’s door at about 9AM on Saturday.

She thought it was hilarious. She went and opened it, only wearing her bathrobe, showing just a bit of side boob. “Twinkle Toes Jr. nice of you to stop by.”

“What the heck did you tell them?”

“I didn’t say much of anything. They asked me who he was. I told them that his name is Kuzon, and he’s my new boyfriend. I figured he’d take the heat off Pema, and he did. No one’s mentioned her at all.”

“They all make me look like a jealous asshole.”

“Welcome to my world. Bye Twinkle Toes.” She shut the door in his face and went back to bed.

“Does he always drop in unannounced?” Kuzon asked as he got Lin’s robe back off.

“Actually, he hadn’t been over here in years, well, until the first time he saw you.”

“And now he keeps making excuses to come back.”

“Are you jealous?”

“No, but he is.”

* * *

Tenzin recognized the car outside Lin’s house. He knew she had Kuzon over. What kind of name is Kuzon anyway? What does he do? Where is he from? How did she even meet him?

He had hoped the guy was a one-night stand, but he kept coming back for more. He could hardly blame him. Lin had always been a dynamo in the bed. Pema was well more innocent and ordinary. He didn’t regret choosing her in the end. She was going to be the better mother for his children. She actually agreed to have his children.

Something about seeing her with that guy made him so irritated. He had this smugness about him, like Lin was all hers and he could do as he willed with her. Was he using her somehow? Was he some kind of criminal hiding in the Chief’s blindside?

Tenzin knew he had to keep an eye on this guy. He was suave, too suave. No one got into Lin’s heart or bed so quickly. He should know. He’s known her most of his life.


	5. Plotless Smut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is the explicit version, so it gets the smutty goodness that isn't on the ff version.

Kuzon took the sash from Lin's bathrobe and tied her wrists to the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Having some fun," he said with a grin. He kissed her neck, using his warm mouth to make her purr for him as his cold fingertips made their way down her body. 

"COLD!" She hissed as he pinched her nipples.

"They're like little bullets," he sucked on one greedily and pinched the other. He was going to have so much fun with her. He kissed his way down her firm stomach, exploring every ridge and scar until he made it to her hips. He went to her thighs, teasing them with his teeth and tongue until she spread them wide.

"Good girl," he husked at her before he pushed apart her lower lips with his fingers. He teased her, pushing on her folds, but not going in deep.

"FUCK!"

"Eventually," he said.  
  
"You're cruel."

"Of course. I am a firebender after all."

The lack of control and his expert movements were overwhelming. She was sopping wet now. He created some small sparks and threw them at her wetness, making her buck her hips.

"FUCKING SPIRITS!"

"Did you like that?" he started to gently rub her clitoris.  
  
"OH FUCK!" He was making her into putty. 

"I think you did."

He slowly lowered his head between her legs and began to lick. She thought he was done tormenting her, but he was going to keep going until she begged for him. He used his tongue and fingers to poke and prod her, making her twist and turn with excitement as he tantalized her.  
  
"KUZON!" she yelled.

"Yes Lin," he said as he pulled away from her.

"FUCK ME!"

"Say please."

"NOW!" She got angry.

He grinned, pushing one finger inside her and pushing it in and out, "Like this."

"I want your cock."

"Do you?"

She glared. 

He took it out and pushed it to her lips. "Suck me!"

She opened her mouth and he positioned himself over her head, carefully lowering his hips and making sure she didn't choke on him. 

The loss of control was really hot. Somehow, Lin was getting even wetter.

Kuzon pulled away from her mouth just to say, "we're almost ready to fuck."

What does he mean almost?

He reached into his bag, taking out a ben-wa ball and warming it before shoving it into her pussy.

"OH FUCK!"

He grinned as he shoved in one more.

Kuzon pushed her knees to her shoulders, leaving her perfect, round behind in his reach. He pushed her cheeks apart and started to lick her rosebud.

"OH FUCK! KUZON!"

Once he got her nice and wet, he pushed a finger into her. "Do you like this?"

She grunted loudly as he made it two. Instead of going for three, however, he covered a plug in lube and put it inside her ass.

"OH DAMN YOU!"

He grinned taking out the ben-wa balls. He put a condom on and thrusted into her pussy. 

"OH SPIRITS!"

She was so wet and hot. Kuzon was proud of his work as he started slamming into Lin. She locked her legs around his hips and demanded he fuck her until she was done.

She came well before he did. He had tormented her thoroughly first. When he was done, he untied Lin. "Was that good for you?"

She answered by metalbending cuffs to him. "So good, I'm ready to pay you back."


	6. Surprise!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin gets sick from bad noodles. She goes to the hospital and is surprised by the news.

Six weeks after Kuzon and Lin first met, she found herself puking. “Damn food cart!” she hissed. She loved those fried noodles, but every now and then, they went the wrong way.  
  
She decided it would just be rice and Gatorade for the rest of the day. She felt better, until the next day when she was puking again. “How can I be this sick from rice?”

 She puked three times before she could finish getting ready for work. She called in sick, knowing she couldn’t get through the day if she couldn’t get out the door.

 By the time the third day rolled around, she was still puking. “I should go to the hospital.”

 Lin drove herself there, once she got a window where she stopped hurling and parked in the parking lot. She walked in and explained that she had been vomiting for days. “I thought it had been food poisoning, but maybe I was wrong.”

There had been a nasty, lethal virus going around. They put her the segregated unit just in case while they got a doctor to see her.

 “Do you have any other symptoms?”

 “I’ve been tired, but I think it’s from lack of energy. I can’t keep anything down.”

 “And this started …”

 “This is the third day.”

 “And are you sexually active?”

 “No-yes. Sorry, I wasn’t for a while and now I am.”

 “And are you using birth control.”

 “Yes. We have condoms.”

 “And have you always used them.”

 “I had been on the pill, but I stopped taking it when I was single and then ….” Shit! She didn’t remember if she had used a condom that first night. She didn’t have any and who knows if he brought any to the bar. “Um …”

They took a blood test. And although she was relieved not to be deathly ill, she wasn’t much happier about being pregnant. She liked Kuzon; how could she not? Unfortunately, she had only known him for six weeks, hardly enough time to commit to raising a child with him. Who knows if he wants children?

“I need to lie down,” she told the doctor.

They took her to a resting area.

 “Do you want us to call anyone on your behalf?”

 “No. I’m a big girl. I need to tell people myself.”

* * *

 

She drove home. She wasn’t expecting Bumi to be there.

“Hey Linny!” Why does he call her Linny? She never told him he could. In fact, she told him he cant’ too many times to count.

“Hey Bumi,” she sounded tired.

“You don’t look so hot. Have you been sick?”

 “I’m not sick,” she told him. Unfortunately, she ran to the bathroom and puked right after she said that.

“If you’re not sick, then why are you puking?” 

“Why do you think?”

“Um, you could be pregnant, but …”

She didn’t answer.

“You’re … what?”

Bumi had just gotten home from the United Forces. He didn’t know about Kuzon or the newspaper drama or anything else.

Lin explained how she met him in a bar. He was nice and really attractive. She took him home, but she didn’t think about the fact that she had stopped taking the pill after she and Tenzin broke up and well, “I don’t think we used protection. If he had, it didn’t work.”

“What are you going to do?”

She shrugged. “I just found out; I hadn’t even told him yet.”

“Do you think he’ll be happy?”

“I have no clue. He never talked about kids. We haven’t been together long enough to talk about kids.”

“Well I guess you gonna have to talk. Maybe this will all workout.”

“Chief Lin Bei Fong, knocked up by cutie she met in a bar. I can see the headlines now.”

“I think it sounds better than Chief Lin Bei Fong, hung up on some baldheaded dweeb.”

 Lin flipped him off.

 “You know I’m right. You’re smiling and junk.”

“You were always so poetic.”

“I try. When do I get to meet this Mr. Bei Fong?”

“Who says you get to meet him?”

“As your surrogate older brother, I gotta vet this guy.”

“You waited until after he knocked me up?”

“Well, I was away, and it’s not like you wrote to me about him.”

“I wasn’t sure if he’d still be here when you got back. What are you doing back so early?”

“Budget cuts. They cut our tour short.”

“That’s kind of sad.”

 “Tell me about it. My wages got cut.”

 “Aw!”

“You mock me.”

“I do, but I guess I don’t have to care about my wages.”

 “Of course not, Miss Mighty Bei Fong.”

“Well there is that, and Kuzon has money too.”

“What does he do?” 

“Advertising. He got the campaign for Sato’s new car.”

“Oh that thing is pricy.”

“Yeah I know. He got one for free since he did their ad campaign.”

“Dang! I wish I went into advertising.”

“How, you can’t draw for crap?”

 “Thanks Linny.”

“Just keeping it real.”

“Well, I’m going to go harass my brother because I can.”

“Please don’t …”

“I won’t tell anyone, especially not Baldy McStupid.”

“Thanks Bumi.”

“See ya!”

* * *

When Lin said she wasn’t in the mood for all you can eat steak, Kuzon knew something was wrong. He came by her house with ingredients to make chicken soup. “Have you been sick?”

“Sort of,” she said as he came inside. “I’ve been vomiting the last few days.”

“So no steak.”

“Yeah, no steak.”

“Was it those noodles?”

“I thought so, since I had just eaten them, but I went to the hospital and they told me I was pregnant.”

Kuzon’s eyes got huge.

“I know we never talked about kids, so if you don’t want to …”

He pulled her into his arms. “You just made me so happy.”

“What?”

“I don’t have much of a family. Sure, I love my moms, but they’re getting old and without my sister or my niece, it’s just me. You don’t have much of a family either at the moment, not withstanding your friends. Maybe this is our time.”

“I don’t know anything about mothering.”

“I got two mothers. I can help with that.”

“Neither of us had fathers.”

“You had uncles of sorts. It can’t be that different.” 

“We both work absurd hours.”

“I’m due for a sabbatical year.”

“What?”

“I can take a paid year off work. I can start it when the babies are born and when you go back to work, I’ll stay here.”

“You’d do that?”

“I was going to travel instead, but maybe we could take some road trips with the baby. I do have that snazzy new car.”

“Show off.”

He kissed her forehead. “I’m not going to propose right now, mainly because you seem like the kind of woman who would be offended if she got proposed to just because she were pregnant, but I do want us to work.”

“You do?”

“I don’t have much luck with women, Lin. Sure I am handsome and have money, but that’s all women ever see when they look at me. It’s nice being with someone who has no reason to care about my paycheck, and my mother keeps bothering me about grandchildren. What does she always say; will you make them before I’m dead?”

Lin looked at him. “My mother has never said anything of the sort.” 

“Well, I’m sure my mother says it enough for both of them.”


	7. Everybody Knows

Lin had to find a doctor to handle her pregnancy. She knew she did not want a midwife to deliver the baby at home. She wanted painkillers in the hospital, and since it could be hard to get a doctor in private practice, she and Kuzon went looking right away.

They settled on a woman who had been declared best OB/GYN in Republic City, two years running.

The woman had a waiting list, but when the secretary saw that Lin was a Bei Fong, she managed to pencil her in. It also didn’t hurt that Kuzon smiled at her warmly.

Lin was mad. “Did you have to flirt with the secretary like that?”

“I was just making sure you got an appointment as soon as possible. When you flirt, they manage to squeeze you in.”

“Who taught you that?”

“My mom.”

When he said his mom, he meant his adopted mother. His birth mother he referred to as mother. Lin didn’t get the distinction at first, but as she started to learn more about each woman, it started to become clear. “She is a flirt?”

“Oh a big one. My mother makes fun of her for it all the time.”

“It sounds like they had an interesting relationship.”

“Oh they do. Maybe one day I’ll tell you about it.”

He was so fucking glib sometimes. Damn, she could kiss that smirk right of his face, but underneath the cocky exterior was a very sweet man. He said he’d arrange his schedule so he could make it to all of her appointments. She told him it wasn’t necessary, but he wanted to be there for every step.

Until the first trimester was over, the only people Lin had told was Bumi, Kuzon, her doctors and HR, as they would have to sort out her medical leave. When it was closer to her due date, she would announce an interim chief.

She and Kuzon had quite a debate about her working schedule, but she eventually agreed to reduce her workload in phases: starting with reducing her hours on the street until she was only doing in office work and training other officers, and eventually she would stop doing night work and would take off work completely for the last two weeks of her pregnancy.

Lin hated the idea of not working, and she was a very strong, very capable woman, but Kuzon had some good points too. She’s a very recognizable figure. She’s pissed off a lot of bad dudes, and one of them may try to hurt her child if they can access her. The stress from working so many hours would not be good for her or her child and the smoother the pregnancy is, the better the odds she will be able to return to work when she wants.

* * *

 

Once the first trimester ended, she had to figure out how they were going to tell people. Unlike Tenzin, she did not want the whole world knowing her business. Kuzon was going to drive to his mom’s house and tell her in person. Lin wasn’t sure where her mother even was.

“How would I find her?”

“Maybe her friends know where she is. Even if they don’t, they’ll tell her once she contacts them and then she’ll know to come here.”

Her mother’s best (living) friends were Katara and Zuko. She felt more comfortable telling Katara than Zuko despite her failed relationship with Tenzin. Zuko had always been caring, but he was a bit distant when it came to familial stuff. His wife had done most of the child rearing for their daughter, the Crown Princess.

“I’ll write to Katara and she’ll want to come see how the baby’s doing anyway.”

“What about your other friends?”

“She lives with Kya and Bumi knows. He found me puking, so it was pretty obvious.”

Lin sent a letter to Katara the next day. She knew it would take a few days to get to her, at a minimum, so she wasn’t expecting a response for couple of weeks.

* * *

 

When Kuzon drove to his mom’s house and told her the news, she was so happy that she tackle-hugged him, kissing both his cheeks while he was on the floor. “I’m gonna be a grandmother!”

“Yes. You have to meet Lin. She’s absolutely fantastic.”

She frowned. “You mean Lin Bei Fong.”

“Yes, you know her?”

“I saw her a few times when she was a child, but does she know who you are?”

“Not yet, but I have to tell her anyway. What if our kid’s a firebender?”

“That’s a good point. If your child has your flame, then everyone will figure it out.”

“Do you think my mother will get in trouble?”

“Leave your mother to me. I’ve been keeping her out of trouble since before you were born.”

“Sounds like you struggled with it.”

“Don’t make me smack you,” she teased before she ruffled his head. “I am proud of you. I wanted you to start a family and stop spending all your time making money.”

“I was good at making money. I wasn’t so good at dating. Luckily, neither was Lin.”

“Well, your mother loves the car you got her, and she drives like a maniac.”

“HAHA!”

“She’s already gotten three tickets.”

“She’s only had it a month.”

“Well, that’s your mother for you.”

“Will you tell her or should I?”

“I’ll tell her. She’ll want to bust your balls about it, but I know she wants to be able to meet at least one of her grandkids.”

“I do want you to meet Lin, after I tell her of course.”

“I’d like that.”

* * *

Katara was surprised to learn that Lin, of all people, was having a surprise baby. “I know this is unexpected. I never thought I would have gotten knocked up by a man I took home from a bar, but he wants to be there for me and our child, and he’s been nothing but supportive. He even agreed to take a year sabbatical so I could go back to work. I better hold on to him. I don’t think I’ll ever get a better offer.”

Kya came in. “What’s in your hand?”

“I got a letter from Lin.”

“REALLY?” Kya snatched it and over Katara’s objections read it. “SHE’S KNOCKED UP!”

“She wants help finding her mother.”

“Oh yeah. Aunt Toph’s gonna be a grandma. This is going to be hilarious!”

“I’m sure this isn’t going to be easy for Lin. She didn’t exactly want children.”

“Maybe she just didn’t want Tenzin’s children,” Kya said nonchalantly. “I’m going to visit her while you track down Grandma Bei Fong.”

Katara shook her head. Her daughter was always inviting herself places.

* * *

 

Before Kya got to the Republic City, Tenzin learned about the baby. Pema had fallen down some stairs and he insisted on taking her to the doctor to check on their baby girl.

They were on their way into the doctor’s office just as Kuzon and Lin were leaving.

“What are you doing here?” Tenzin questioned.

“I’m pregnant,” Kuzon retorted.

Lin laughed until she realized no one else was. “This is awkward.”

“You’re pregnant!” Tenzin yelled.

“Well, yeah I am.”

“How could you have a child with him? You barely know him!”

“At least I procreated with an adult and not a child I used to babysit.”

“You used to babysit her?”

“We did, together.”

“OOH Cradle robber!” Kuzon sang at him.

“She’s my wife!”

“Doesn’t make her any older,” Lin retorted. “And this is none of your business!”

“NONE OF MY BUSINESS! You told me you never wanted kids, and you make one with him as soon as you met him. What did he do, ply you with liquor until you opened your legs?”

Lin smacked him in front of everyone. “You have no right to talk about him like that. News flash Tenzin, I wanted someone who wanted me whether or not we had children. I wanted to be an equal partner, not some baby factory. Pema, good luck with this idiot. You’ll need it.”

Lin took Kuzon, and they left quickly. “What an asshole!”

“I feel bad for his wife. I would hate to be pregnant and watching my husband clearly hung up on his ex.”

“I think you would hate being pregnant.”

He rolled his eyes. “My mother wants to meet you.”

“She wrote to you already.”

“Apparently, she came to visit my mom like a few hours after I had left. She’s all excited for a grandbaby.”

“Does she want a firebender?”

“I’m sure she’d be happy with any grandbaby, but I think she’d have a special gleam if it were a firebender. I think an earthbender would be cool though; it would be the first one in our family.”

“Are you all firebenders?”

“My sister’s a waterbender”

“But she’s not your mother’s child.”

“She is,” he told her. “I’m a twin. She had my sister adopted by a friend of hers who was from the water tribes, so she’d blend in. She doesn’t look Fire Nation at all. I doubt she even knows.”

“You’re father’s water tribe?”

“Yeah. I know. I don’t look it at all.”

“I have no idea what my father even was, so I can’t comment on that. I look just like my grandmother.”

“Then she must have been a pretty lady.”


	8. How Could She?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenzin can't figure out how Lin decided to make a family with a stranger. A young scoop gets an exclusive interview with Chief Lin Bei Fong to see how this all happened.

“How could she get knocked up like that?” Tenzin hissed as he drove, forgetting Pema was even in the car. She had always been careful, super careful with him. If she had accidentally gotten pregnant, they’d likely still be together.

“I’m sure it was an accident. It’s not like she wanted children,” Pema wanted to change the subject.

“And who does that guy think he is, showing up with a pretty face and a fancy car and he just gets a family?” He got the one thing Tenzin thought was impossible. He got Lin Bei Fong to become a mother.

“Why are you so upset about this?”

“Why am I so upset? We were together over 15 years.”

“And you left her for me. What, would you have stayed if she got knocked up earlier?”

He probably would have. “We wouldn’t have worked,” he told his wife.

“Then let it go. Maybe this will be good for her.” She needs to do something other than work all day anyway.

“How could this be?” He saw his wife’s angry face and finally shut up.

* * *

The other patients had seen the fight between Lin, and Tenzin and it wasn’t long until the rumors started clamoring about something going on between Lin and Tenzin. Was she pregnant? Could he be the father? What would Kuzon do if it were an airbender?

Lin was overwhelmed by the media’s aggression. They were outside her door, outside the precinct; they had even started popping up outside Kuzon’s office building.

She just wanted to work and live in peace.

Finally, Kuzon said, “maybe we should make a statement,” just to see if they can get these people to move on to a new story.

Lin reluctantly agreed. She offered to do one interview, “and don’t send me an annoying journalist or I won’t ever do another one!”

They sent an excited young scoop to get the story. They did the interview in Lin’s house, as she did not want him in her office where her employees might say all kinds of nonsense.

* * *

 

The young man, he actually looked like a young teen, had a recorder in hand as he started the interview.

“I’m here with esteemed Chief Lin Bei Fong, daughter of war hero and former Chief Toph Bei Fong and presumed heir to the Bei Fong estate.

She has graciously agreed to be interviewed with regards to her expected child, the youngest Bei Fong, known in the media as Baby B.”

Lin rolled her eyes at the nickname. “So where do I start?”

“I will ask a couple of questions, but I try to get my interviewees to tell their story in their own words. Hopefully, that will be easier once we get the preliminary stuff out of the way.

I want to start with your own mother. Would you say that you two were close?”

“Not really. She was well intentioned, but she didn’t really know how to parent. Her parents had been overbearing, so she let her daughters do whatever we felt like doing. Often times, my sister and I fought and she would come break it up and then we’d go right back to fighting.”

“Did you follow in her footsteps to get closer to her?”

“I wanted her to be proud of me, but she didn’t care what I did as long as I wanted to do it. I don’t think she wanted me to be a police officer. She didn’t think I chose the job for the right reasons.”

“And did you?”

“I don’t know, but I’m glad it’s what I do now.”

“Have you thought about how you’re going to balance a career and a family?”

“I don’t have the whole future planned out, but Kuzon plans on taking a sabbatical when my maternity leave runs out, so he will be at home for the first year and then he’ll go back to work and we’ll have to figure out something.”

“Did you want to be a mother?”

“I wasn’t sure if I had it in me. I didn’t know my father at all, and I had supportive adults in my life, but it’s not the same as having parents. I wasn’t really sure what to do.”

“And is this why you and Tenzin didn’t work out?”

“It was a part of it. When you’re with someone, you have to meet him half way. Tenzin and I couldn’t do that. We fought over children and work and it got to the point where we fought over everything just to fight.

We couldn’t make it to the grocery together without fighting. It would have been no environment for a child, and I refuse to have any kids if we couldn’t work out our other issues. He thought I was refusing forever, so he left for the first offer he got.”

“And do you think they have a strong marriage?”

“I have no clue. It’s not my business either way.”

“Tell me about Kuzon.”

“Well, I was driving home. I had been working longer hours to try and hide from the media. They had been annoying me ever since Tenzin announced Pema’s pregnancy and I saw this cool looking bar I had never been inside of before, so I pulled over and went inside.

He was there. He suggested I try a drink called the Fallen Lady. I did. It was really good and well, we started chatting. It was weird how much we had in common. We never met our fathers. Our mothers were distant, each affected by her upbringing. He was actually adopted, so he has two mothers as it were. Given his adoption, he never knew his sister. My sister and I can’t stand each other and haven’t spoken in a decade.

We just made sense together. If you really want to know the quick and dirty of it, I liked him, I brought him home, and I had stopped taking my birth control since I had been single for some time, and I didn’t think about the consequences of that until I started puking six weeks later.

I told him. I half expected him to run. Who would sign up to raise a baby with someone he’s only known for a few weeks? Anyway, he said he wasn’t going anywhere. I’m used to people leaving. It was odd to accept that he was in it for the long haul.”

“Have you discussed marriage?”

“Only briefly. I’m not one to rush to the altar because I’m having a child. It has to be right for us and I’m hardly one to care too much about having a child out of wedlock. Neither of our parents ever got married. I don’t even know who my father was.”

“Do you wish you had known him?”

“If he were worth knowing. My mother never said anything about him, so I don’t know if he didn’t know about me, or he didn’t care or if he knew about me but didn’t know I was his. For all I know, she went to the seed bank and felt like having a kid on a whim. I just don’t know.”

“This all got out after you got into a fight with Tenzin. Can you tell us about that?”

“Well, I was on my way out of the doctor’s office. Kuzon had taken me to my appointment, and Tenzin happened to be bringing Pema in, and that’s when he found out I was pregnant. I kept it quiet during the first trimester since it’s bad luck and all. Only a handful of people knew, including both of our jobs HR departments. I wasn’t planning on telling him myself. I told his mother, since I was hoping she could find my mother, and I figured either she or his sister would tell him.

When he saw me, he wondered why I was there. In my mind, I wanted to say it was just a normal appointment, not everyone there is pregnant, but the words didn’t come out.

Kuzon said that he was pregnant, and then it was obvious. Tenzin started yelling. I got mad and started yelling. He had the nerve to criticize my decision to have a child with someone not him. After all that he put me through, he had no right to accost me about my family. He said something rude. I slapped him, and I left.

The media found out since well, every patient there saw some serious drama. They’ve been telling crazy stories, suggesting that it’s Tenzin’s baby or what not, but it’s Kuzon’s. I haven’t been anywhere near Tenzin, and we didn’t even start speaking again until recently.”

“Do you know what you’re having?”

“I have no idea what it is, since it could be an earthbender, firebender, or neither since I don’t know who my father was, but I want to be a mother no matter what. It would be convenient if it took after one of us, but you never know.”

“And how has his family taken the news?”

“Both his mothers are happy. I haven’t had the chance to meet them yet. They aren’t from around here, but I’m sure I’ll meet them before the birth.”

Before he could ask any more questions, there was a knock on the door.

* * *

 

“Who could that be? Excuse me,” she said as she got up. She opened the door and got waylaid with a hug.

“OH MY SPIRITS YOU’RE GOING TO ME A MOM!”

“And this would be Kya.”

“Can I ask you some questions?”

“Sure. Who is he?”

“He’s my interviewer. We were discussing well me and the baby and …”

“I’m so excited! Can I be the godmother? Please!”

“Well I should at least talk to Kuzon before …”

“I need to meet this guy. I’ve only seen the photos. He looks super dreamy!”

“He is super taken.”

“You always were a possessive one.”

“Oh hush!”

“I’m her best friend and I can tell you all about her.”

Lin shook her head. She went on about how she and Lin would goof off as kids, and despite her serious exterior, she has a childlike heart. “Not Tenzin, though. He’s too serious and not in a good way.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean is he has the responsibilities that he finds most important and he doesn’t recognize that other people have responsibilities that are equally important to them. If he would calm down for just five minutes, he might realize he’s not the center of the universe.

I love my brother. The spirits know I do, but I’ve wanted to slap him upside the head for a list of reasons.”

She listed them, in detail. Lin was concerned that this would all end up in the papers. The scoop of course, loved it.

“Well, I thank you ladies for your time, and as we agreed, you’ll get a chance to see the piece and comment before it’s published.”

“Come again!” Kya said.

“What’s wrong with you?” Lin questioned.

“He was adorkable.”

“Tenzin’s gonna flip when they publish your rant.”

“Meh. He’s always flipping out.”


	9. In the Papers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first part of Lin's interview comes out.

The reporter started by typing his notes. He would write down his impressions, descriptions of where the interview took place, and the mood before getting to the content of the interview

He would try to use his interviewee’s own words for the introduction. It got the reader more excited and who could describe Lin Bei Fong better than herself.

From Police Chief to Expectant Mother: A Conversation with Lin Bei Fong

“I wasn’t sure if I had it (motherhood) in me. I didn’t know my father at all, and I had supportive adults in my life, but it’s not the same as having parents. I wasn’t really sure what to do.”

Once he decided on how to introduce the subject, he would go to the description of the house.

"It’s a lovely estate with a garden in front. Right away, it seems like a charming place to raise a family. Inside were stone floors, a bit unusual if you don’t know that Lin’s mother sees with her feet, pristine everything, and surprisingly comfortable furniture."

After that, he went to his description of Lin.

"Most people see Chief Bei Fong in her armor and uniform or perhaps in an evening dress if she’s at a formal event. This day, however, she wore a t-shirt and sweatpants, no shell or frills, just Lin.

Lin was candid, not excited to answer every question, but she had honesty in her voice. She didn’t just say what happened, but her tone would reveal how she felt about it. There was sadness when she talked about her mother, and how she had longed for closeness that she never with her and a similar sadness, mixed in with some anger, about her estranged sister Suyin.

There was excitement when she talked about her expected child and the father to be, Kuzon. There was annoyance when she was speaking with her best friend Kya, who crashed the interview, but you could tell the two women were very fond of each other.

Enough of what I saw when I was there. Let me get to what she had to say."

Then he got to her story. It was fun to tell but difficult at the same time. Lin was a strong and courageous woman, everyone knew that, but she also had wounds beyond the physical, ones she hid from the rest of her world. From her troubled relationships with her mother and sister to the turbulent one with her ex-lover Councilman Tenzin, she had been knocked around in more places than just the streets.

"It’s one thing for your ex to leave you. It’s one thing for him to leave you for a girl you’ve known almost all her life. It’s a whole other story to get constantly reminded about it by the media, to get alerted every time Tenzin says or does anything, just so your reaction can get photographed, to change your work schedule just so you can avoid people who want to ask you about him. The world gave him a new start with Pema. The world expected her to be his jilted ex forever.

Her story was just as much about gender roles and how the working woman is pitted against the stay at home mother than anything else. Can a woman truly have it all? If she has children, her career suffers. If she has a career, then any children she has miss out on her. Mothers are expected to be there in a way that fathers aren’t.

Lin Bei Fong knows this better than most people, having had both a working mother and an absent father. Even thought they both made her, it was her mother that she hoped would be there, and she didn’t miss her father at all.

She doesn’t even know who her father is, but she didn’t seem bothered by it. Her reluctance to have children with Tenzin was more than just her own stubbornness. It was the realization that she would have to give up a part of herself, a part that Tenzin could keep, or her children would have the same frustrations that she did growing up. There seemed to be no way to win."

* * *

 

By the time he finished his first draft, he realized it was 3 times as long as it was supposed to be, but it all seemed too good to cut out. When he went to his boss, she loved the piece and thought he should expand it to a serial. He sent the first section to Lin to get her comments.

Her changes were mostly grammatical, which made him laugh since it was a rough copy, but she approved the content, and thought it was the most unbiased story on her she had ever seen. He disagreed. It was biased. He thought Tenzin was a jackass, but he tried to show restraint when he wrote about him.

The story hit the papers on Friday. Part 1 was about her past, her mother, her sister and Tenzin. Part 2 would get into more of Kuzon and what her plans were for the baby. Part 3 would be about her friends and the other people in her life right now.

The newspaper was everywhere. Lin knew the story would be big, but she didn’t realize how people would take it so personally. Women wrote in talking about how hard it was to try and work and be at home for the kids or how it sucked being home all day sometimes. They didn’t see Lin Bei Fong as the jilted ex anymore. They saw her as a representative for the struggles that mothers have everywhere.

Of course, everyone bothered Tenzin about the article. The media asked him, “Are you bitter that your ex-girlfriend is having another man’s child after refusing to have yours?”

“Do you wish you had tried to be more agreeable to her concerns as a working woman?”

“Do you think a woman’s job is to stay home with the children?”

If he wasn’t dodging politically charged questions, he was getting it from the people he worked with.

Everyone wanted to hear his reaction. He wanted them to work, but they had to know about the doctor’s office and how hard did she slap him across the face.

Even his brother got in on his case when he stopped by. “Man, you made a scene in front of your wife. I’m surprised she didn’t slap you in the face too.”

“Bumi, not you too!”

“Of course me too. You gotta get your head out of your rear end. You can’t move on with Pema and chastise Lin about her new life. You gotta let it go bro.”

When Tenzin saw his sister, he confronted her. “You said I don’t respect other people’s responsibilities.”

“You never had before. I moved in with mother because she was so upset after Dad died and you couldn’t even take a week off work to see her because you had the council.”

“She needed to settle down anyway!”

“She needed her family, you asshole!”

They yelled so loudly they both got kicked out of the coffee shop.

“At least I got my coffee,” Kya told him as she left, even if it was now cold.

Tenzin had to go somewhere else.


	10. Interviewing Kuzon

Each week, a new section would come out about Lin. Once she talked about Kuzon, everyone wanted to hear more about this dreamy ex-military advertiser. He was so inquired about that the scoop did an interview with Kuzon as well.

He got to Kuzon’s apartment, it was a top of the line flat, and sat down on his couch.

“I take it you’re familiar with being interviewed.”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s get to it! Could you start with some information on your family?”

“Well, I am adopted. My birth mother couldn’t raise my twin sister and me, so she gave each of us to a friend she trusted, and we grew up separately. I’m not sure if my sister knows about me, since I don’t know what her parents have told her, so I haven’t contacted her. I know she has a daughter, and I hope that her children and mine can be friends some day, but that’s at out my hands right now.”

“Why were you separated?”

“Well, I’m pretty clearly Fire Nation, but my sister is a waterbender, and my mother thought it would be harder for us if people realized we were biracial amongst other concerns, so she gave me to a friend from the Fire Nation and gave my sister to a friend from the water tribes. I don’t know if my sister even knows that she’s half Fire Nation.”

“I see, and do you know who your parents were?”

“I do, but I’d rather not give their names. It would probably be not very good of my sister to learn who she is this way.”

“How about the woman who raised you?”

“She’s always been very kind to me. She was single for most of my childhood, so it was just us. She knew who my father was, obviously, which put her in a bit of a bind. 

She didn’t want her friends to figure out who I was or else his wife would know too, so she raised me away from the city. She would visit them on occasion, but not long enough for them to figure out she had a son.”

“So it was you two against the world.”

“Yeah it was. My birth mother would drop in on occasion, but it was usually just the two of us.”

“And what is your relationship like with your birth mother?”

“Under the circumstances, it’s pretty good. She had PTSD after the war, and she still struggles with it, so she knew that having one child, much less two and raising them by herself would be too difficult. She wanted a better life for both my sister and me. 

As a child, I didn’t really understand why she would have random outbursts or panic attacks, but as I got older, and especially after I joined the military, I started to understand what my mother had gone through, and I understood why she had to give us away.”

“You joined the United Forces and not the Fire Nation Army, why was that?”

“I grew up here. I had only been to the Fire Nation a few times. I wanted to be closer to my mom.”

“So I heard Lin’s account of how you met, can you give us your point of view?”

“Sure. I was still getting used to Republic City. I moved here for work since there was a lot more opportunity than the village where I grew up. I saw this bar and thought what a weird name (The Dragon’s Spirit), so I wondered in. It became a Friday thing for me, and one day, Lin appeared and she had me at first glance.

I could just tell she would get weirded out if I tried to buy her a drink, so I suggested one to her instead. She sat down, ordered it, and we started talking. I knew who she was. It was easy to recognize her given all of the media attention she gets, but she was very surprising. She’s actually pretty silly when’s she drunk, and I wouldn’t have guessed that.

We decided to split a cab home since neither of us could drive at that point. I lived further away, so the cab stopped at her place first. I thought I was going home, but then she paid the cabbie and pulled me out of the cab. I guess she’s had me ever since.”

“She just pulled you out the cab?”

“I wasn’t complaining. I was just pleasantly surprised.”

“And when did you meet Councilman Tenzin?”

“The next morning. I was making breakfast. Lin was in the shower and he started pounding on the door. I didn’t answer at first since it’s not my door, and I had no idea who it was, but when he kept knocking, I answered it. He said he needed to talk to Lin, so I knocked on her bathroom door and told her she had a visitor. She did not seem enthused.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Her reaction was ‘What the hell are you doing here?’”

“But she talked to him anyway?”

“Yes. It had something to do with work. I don’t want to get into it, since for all I know the case is still active.”

“Did you see him after that?”

“Other than the doctor’s office, I didn’t see him anywhere, but he did stop by her house again to argue with her over some newspaper. I didn’t get out of bed.”

“You didn’t feel the need to intervene?”

“Why? She can drop him on his ass by herself.”

“And what do you think of Tenzin?”

“Personally, I think he’s a fool. At first, it was all perfect for him. Pema threw herself at him. He got married and she got pregnant fairly quickly. He had what he wanted and the hell with Lin. Now, he sees her with a new boyfriend and a family that he feels like he should have had and he’s jealous. It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t want Pema or that he wants Lin back, but he feels entitled, like if Lin had a family, then it should have been with him. It’s none of his damn business.”

“And about Pema?”

“If I were her, I’d slap him until he got ‘move on’ through his thick skull. I don’t know how she deals with him.”

“And how did your mom respond to the pregnancy?”

“Oh she can’t wait. She’s been on my case about grandchildren, so she’s happy. She hasn’t met Lin yet, so I want to drive her down so they can get to know each other.”

“And does your birth mother know?”

“Yes. I actually just missed her when I told my mom, and she sent me a letter congratulating me.”

“And are you uncomfortable that Lin is still close to Tenzin’s family?”

“Not at all. Everyone needs some people in their life who really get them, who saw the stuff they went through in life and can offer advice or support. It’s not surprising or unusual that it would be her ex’s family, especially considering how close their mothers are. It’s probably more awkward for Lin under the circumstances than it is me.”

“And have you met Tenzin’s family?”

“I met Kya. She’s a riot. I got some thinly veiled threats from Bumi saying if I hurt her in anyway, he was gonna kick my ass, but I haven’t met him in person.”

“Are you scared?”

“It won’t come to that.”

“And what’s your prediction, earthbender, firebender, or waterbender?”

“Hmm, I’m going to go with earthbender. My family is known for firekicking during pregnancy and she hasn’t felt any yet, which doesn’t mean it’s not a firebender, but I have a hunch that we have an earthbending Bei Fong on the way.”

Of course, people went crazy over Kuzon’s interview. Who are his parents? Who raised him? Who could his sister be? He threw shade at Tenzin.


	11. Momma's Dropping In

  
Tenzin hated part four of the interview. Who did this guy think he is, writing that stuff about him?  
Before he could find out who this man was, he got a visitor.

"Mom?"

"Hey Tenzin!"

She hugged him tightly.

"How are you Mom?"

"I'm good. I just got Toph to Lin's house."

"What?"

"Lin couldn't find her, so I tracked Toph down and got her here. I didn't go inside though, I thought they could use some alone time, since they haven't seen each other in years, so I figured, why not drop in on my baby boy!"

"I'm about to be a father."

"You'll always be my baby! How's Pema?"

"She's good. She had a fall last month but …"

"You didn't tell me!"

"I took her to the doctor right away. They said it was fine. Anyway, it was there that I ran into Lin and her baby daddy."

"Oh, well I hear he's a nice guy."

"Who said that?"

"Kya said he was great."

"Kya's crazy."

"Are you jealous?"

"NO!"

"You sound jealous."

"MOM!"

"Just relax. You both will have your own families. Maybe the spirits meant for it to be this way."

Tenzin pouted.

While he got his mother doting on him, Lin got a different experience.

"Where are you, fat butt?"

"MOM?" Lin couldn't believe it. She ran into her mother and hugged her. "It's been too long."

"Yeah, yeah. So you got twins."

"Huh?"

"I feel two fetal heartbeats."

"Oh, we were going to get our ultrasound next week. I didn't know."

"Well, you got two rug rats, and where's this jerk who knocked you up?"

"He's not a jerk. He actually went out to get me lunch."

"And he didn't bring me any?"

"Because we knew your ass would show up today."

"You should have. You sent Sugar Queen to find me."

"Where is Aunt Katara?"

"Bothering Twinkle Toes Jr."

Just then, a man came through the door. "They didn't have the chicken dish you like, and I wasn't sure if you wanted beef or pork instead, so I got them both."

"I like him already," Toph told him. "Now give me one."

"Kuzon, this is my mother, Toph Bei Fong."

"A pleasure," he said as he punched her arm.

"What was that for?"

"Lin said it's how your family shows affection."

"It is. What do you know about my family?"

"He knows plenty," Lin told her. "We're having twins," she told him.

"Oh, my mom's gonna be mad. She's out 50 coins."

"What?"

"She and my birth mother had a bet on multiple births, so she just lost 50 coins."

"Your family bets on each other too. He might not be so bad."

They sat down with lunch. Lin ate the beef, so her mother got the pork.

"So what do you do all day?"

"I manage advertisement campaigns. I'm currently working on the new Satomobile."

"So you convince people to waste their money on stuff they can't afford."

"Well, I don't convince them, but I make the cars attractive in the first place."

"He sounds like my father. You would find a guy like this." She turned to Kuzon. "What do you know about fighting?"

"I got in some pretty good scraps in the marines."

"A military man. One enlistment or two."

"Two. I retired out when I was 30 and then went into business. My mom had to retire, so I wanted to send some money her way."

"And you take care of your mother. Seriously, is he like a fucking boy wonder?"

"Forgive my mother. She's senile in her old age."

"I am not you fat butt!"

"I'm not even fat yet."

"But twins, you gonna be huge!"

The women debated just how huge Lin was going to get before Katara called on the radio inviting them all over for dinner.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Lin questioned.

"Yes. You and Airhead need to figure out how to stop fighting before Katara goes all crazy mother on everybody. Plus, Bumi's going to be there, and he's been waiting to size up Mr. Pretty Boy over here."

"You can't even see him."

"But I heard the radio on the way here. They keep talking about how dreamy he is."

Lin shook her head.

That evening, she ended up at her ex-boyfriend's house.

Kuzon took her hand and kissed it.

"Stop giving me oogies!" Toph complained.

"What's an oogie?" Kuzon questioned.

Lin explained it to him.

"Ah."

"My uncle Sokka coined the term."

They entered the house. Katara had done most of the cooking. Pema was in her seventh month and didn't like being on her feet too much.

"Toph, Lin, Kuzon, glad you all could make it."

"Stop lying Pema," Toph retorted. "You're dreading this just as much as fat butt behind me."

"Toph can't you calm down for just one dinner," Katara chastised.

"Maybe when I'm dead Sugar Queen!"

Bumi came into the room, "Aunt Toph!" He hugged her despite her objections and flailing. She was too short to stop him.  
"Linny, oh you have the tiniest baby bump right now."

"It's babies bump. She's got two suckers in there."

"Twins! Oh, do you think it will be one of each?"

"Maybe," Lin said. "It's too early to tell."

"There are other possibilities," Katara told them. "Depending on your lineage."

"Which means they could be waterbenders or nonbenders too," Kuzon added, "at least on my side."

"You're not all Fire Nation?" Katara would have thought that he was.

"No, my father was from the Southern Water Tribe. I never met him before he died, but my birth mother told me about him."

"I probably knew him," Katara realized.

"Yeah, but he wouldn't have told you. He was married, and well not to my mother."

"Oh you're a secret love child," Toph gushed. "So is Lin."

"Don't believe her. She's told me so many stories about my father, I can't trust any of them."

"Yeah, you'll never know."

"Are you an only child?" Katara asked him.

"I have a twin, but I don't think she knows about me. She was given to a different family, since she looks all water tribe."

"Wow, your family sounds as jacked up as mine," Toph told him.

"At least his mother was sort of competent," Lin retorted.

"Oh I'm gonna pop you," Toph retorted.

"Maybe if you weren't so old you're shrinking."

"I'll show you shrinking!"

The two women were ready to take it outside, but Kuzon had a different idea. "In my culture, pregnant women don't fight agni kais.

Their child's father would be expected to step in."

Lin folded her arms. Oh no he didn't.

"Are you challenging me big boy?"

"Oh I am."

"Lin, I gotta beat up your boy toy. This will be too much fun."

They went outside. With two stomps of her feet, Toph had boulders headed his way. He slid past the first one and jumped over the second before an impressive jet of fire came right at her.

She had experience on her side, but he had been trained by two of the best fighters on Earth, his mothers, and he knew how to keep coming.

"I must admit. Pretty boy can move!"

She swallowed the ground beneath him but he jumped up at the last second. She decided to break out her metalbending, and he

returned with lightening.

Lin had no idea how good Kuzon actually was. He can throw lightening? She knew that was really rare, rarer than metalbending.

"Would you two stop destroying my yard?" Tenzin yelled at them.

They both blamed the other.

"I have to admit, pretty boy knows his stuff."

"And I must say that our kids will have three badass grandmothers."

"You didn't tell me you could throw lightening."

"I can't tell you all my moves at once. You'd get bored of me."

"Remind me not to fight him," Bumi said loudly.

"You punk ass bitch," Toph told him.

Over dinner, Katara had all kinds of questions for Kuzon. "Who trained you?"

 

"Both of my mothers trained me. My birth mother is a firebender, but my adoptive mother is a martial arts expert, so I learned them both. I learned how to swordfight in the military, so I'm a jack of all trades."

Show off, Bumi thought to himself.

"Lin," Toph told her daughter, "he's way out of your league."

"TOPH!" Katara bopped her head.

"What Sugar Queen? I'm just telling her she got knocked up by like the coolest guy ever. It seems impossible that you just found in him a bar."

Tenzin shook his head. Everyone loved this guy.

"So what are you going to do when the baby's born?" Katara asked them.

"Kuzon's taking a year off work and when he has to go back, we'll have to find a way to balance our schedules."

"You won't get fired?" Toph questioned.

"I'm due for my sabbatical year, and I was going to take it anyway, so it's not like they're missing me."

"And he's staying home with the rug rats? Damn, why couldn't I have found a guy like this. I would have bothered to tell him he was a father."

"Again, who knows if this is true?"

"Yeah, maybe I did tell him. You'll never know."

Since they grilled Kuzon most of the night, Pema felt like she was off the hook. Tenzin, however, was not so relieved.

"Didn't you find him suspicious?"

"Why?"

"The way he had a perfect answer for everything."

"Most of those questions he did answer in the newspaper article. He had already thought about the answers."

"I guess," Tenzin growled.

"Is it so bad to think that Lin just found a nice guy?"

"No." He can't just be a nice guy. There has to be a chink in that armor, and Tenzin was going to find it.


	12. Meet My Mamas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuzon takes Lin to meet his birth mother and his adoptive mother.

When Lin and Kuzon saw the ultrasound of their babies, they couldn’t have been happier.

“It’s like they’re best friends already,” Lin said as they seemed to be embracing in the picture.”

“I want to introduce you to my mothers,” Kuzon told her. “They have to see this (ultrasound), and I think it’s time.”

“Let’s write to them and see what they say.”

Kuzon sent a letter to his mom. She wrote back saying that his mother was home and planned on being there for a while. He decided to tell Lin everything before they got there.

“Hey Lin. My moms want us to come next weekend.”

“That sounds perfect.”

“Before we go, I think it’s time I told you who I am.”

He started with an explanation of his adopted mother. Lin had recognized the name, and was surprised that someone her mother knew had raised Kuzon.

“Why didn’t you tell my mom who your adoptive mother was?”

“Because she would have wanted to know who my birth mother is.”

He then explained who his birth mother was and how he came to be with his adopted mother.

“You’re shitting me!”

“No.” He had been given fake credentials to cover up his original identity, even given a new name, so no one would make the connection between him and his birth mother.

“She still calls me by my given name, so I had to explain it before we got there. I also just wanted to get it off my chest. It was weird having you know my story, but not really know it since you didn’t know the players.”

She was so baffled by learning who his mother was, she didn’t even ask the next logical question, who was his father?

She decided to try to get through meeting the parents first. He put up with her crazy ass family; she should at least do this for him.

* * *

Lin gave an interview before she left to meet Kuzon’s mothers.

“Sorry to cut this short, but I kind of forgot you were coming.”

“I understand, any recent developments.”

“Well, I found out we’re having twins. My mother came to visit. Katara found her for me, and she’s the one who told me I was having twins. We all had dinner at Tenzin’s, my mother and Kuzon had a pretty epic spar that messed up Tenzin’s yard, and I’m on my way to meet Kuzon’s mothers, so I must say things are happening pretty quickly”

“That’s a lot. Could we talk again after you get back? I’d be curious how the visit goes, names redacted of course.”

“Yes, and that means I can peace out now.”

* * *

Kuzon had never been able to bring a girl home to meet his birth mother before. His adoptive mother had met one of the girlfriend’s he had years ago, but no one had been important enough to bring her home in a long time.

“I would try to prepare you for this, but I’ve never brought a girl home to my birth mother, so I apologize for whatever it is that she says in advance.”

“I doubt she’s worse than my mother.”

“Really, your mom can’t throw lightening.”

“Well there is that, but I doubt she has as crass a mouth.”

“No, she’s more dignified when it comes to her language, but she won’t hesitate to reduce people to shreds with her tongue.”

Their house impressed Lin. It was much larger than she was expecting. She imagined a small cabin in the woods, but this was kind of a big estate.

“I thought you said you had humble beginnings.”

“Well, I didn’t grow up in this house. I got it for my mom once I got my first big paycheck. We lived in a small cabin in the woods. It was cozy, and so is this place, on the inside.”

As soon as Kuzon opened the door, the smell of apple pie escaped.

“Mom, Mother, we’re here!”

“Your mom made pie. I’m going to eat it all,” Azula declared.

“You will not!” Ty Lee snapped at her.

“Mom, mother, this is Chief Lin Bei Fong.”

“You’re with Blind Bandit Jr?” Azula questioned.

Azula’s hair was grey. Her eyes were piercing gold just like her son’s, and she was small, thin, but she did not look weak. She was quick on her feet and examined Lin’s face closely. “You don’t really look like your mom. No, you look like Poppy. Anyway, you earned me 50 coins.”

“Oh shut up,” Ty Lee told her. “And welcome Lin. Make yourself at home.”

The home was beautiful. There were paintings that adorned the wall and one that made Lin blushed.

“Is that supposed to be?”

“Reminiscent of a vagina, yes it is,” Kuzon said quickly. “Lots of the artwork here is.”

“Well what do you expect when you come to the home of a lesbian couple,” Azula retorted.

“Your mothers are together?”

“I told you their relationship was odd.”

“Your mother sold another painting last week,” Ty Lee told her son.

“She’s been using an alias, and everyone’s trying to figure out who she is,” Kuzon told her.

“Yeah, so no blabbing, since the mystery makes them worth more; also I don’t want to go to jail.”

“Do you think your brother’s still looking for you?”

“That asshole would lock me up any chance he got, and if he didn’t that frosty witch would. I don’t know if the Blind Bandit would. She might just want to fight it out instead. I always did like her the best out of Team Avatar.”

“Kuzon got into quite a fight with my mother. He’s still standing.”

“Of course he’s still standing. He’s a Prince of the Fire Nation, son of an esteemed warrior and a firebending prodigy, even if he goes by that ridiculous name.”

“Well, Prince Azulon of the Fire Nation, might have been too obvious,” he snapped.

“Nah. Just say your one of Ozai’s bastard grandchildren. Make up any Fire Nation name for your mother, and it would have worked.”

“I’m not as good at lying as you are.”

“No duh! No one’s as good as I am!”

“Zuko’s mantra is Azula always lies. It’s not always, but you usually can’t tell the difference.”

“Well what’s the point of lying if people can tell? Also, where’s that pie?”

“It should be cool now, and you’re eating last, so I know everyone gets some,” Ty Lee told her.

“You suck!”

“Miss ate the whole dang pie last time and got tummy ache!”

“It was worth it! I’d do it again!”

“I know you would, stupid!”

* * *

 

Lin was surprised that Azula was so, well, harmless seeming. “I never would have guessed you were fighting over pie with your lover.”

“What, do the history books say I’m dead or something?”

“They just don’t know. People have theories, but I doubt any of them are anywhere close to the truth.”

“That’s good. I don’t need that kind of drama in my life. Have you learned anything new about your sister?” She asked her son.

“She’s still happily married the last time I checked.”

“That’s nice.”

“Do you ever think you’ll tell her who you are?” Lin asked her.

“I wrote her a letter in case she was curious to be given to her when I die. It seemed selfish to just impose myself on her life. I never really did anything for her, other than give her my favorite music box. I hope she kept it. She wouldn’t have known it was a family heirloom.”

“I’m sure she kept it,” Ty Lee said. “It was gorgeous.”

“Well duh, it was mine. Like I kept ugly stuff!”

“My sister got the antique music box, and I got Dad’s sword from the war,” Kuzon told his girlfriend.

“I thought each of them should have something from the parent they didn’t meet, so I went to her adopted father, gave him the music box, and told him to give it to her.”

They ate their pie. It came with vanilla ice cream. “You two find out what you’re popping out yet?”

“Azula!” Ty Lee questioned.

“It’s still too early to tell.”

“Then I bet a firebender and an earthbender!”

“So’s everyone,” Kuzon told her.

“Well fine, Prince Butthead, I bet that the girl is a firebender like me and the boy is an earthbender like Blind Bandit Jr.”

“What’s your bet Mom?”

“I think it will be a boy and a girl too, but I bet the girl’s the earthbender and the boy’s a firebender.”

“I’ll add you to the pool at work.”

“There’s a pool at the station?”

“Oh yeah,” Lin told her. “Apparently they had all bet on if I’d ever date again, then if I’d become a mother, and now that a bunch of men lost their money, they’re trying to redeem themselves with this.”

* * *

Tenzin came to the station to report vandalism. Someone scratched “Jealous basterd,” in the side of his car.

“Where’s Chief Bei Fong?”

“She’s out for the weekend, and she wouldn’t handle petty vandalism anyway.”

“Petty! I love that car!”

“But the damage is likely only a 100 yuan. It’s misdemeanor.”

Tenzin tried her house and even though her car was there, she never answered. He gave up and left.

* * *

Lin was delighted with the spread they had for dinner: homemade bread, smoked chicken, fire-roasted vegetables, a fresh garden salad and they had this decadent chocolate cake for dessert.

“This is really hitting all of my pregnancy cravings right now,” Lin told them, chicken, chocolate, and she was on a fire-roasted veggies kick.

“When I was pregnant, all I wanted was grilled cheese,” Azula reminisced.

“That’s still all you want,” Ty Lee told her.

“Is not!”

“Really? So you didn’t demand I grill you a cheese pretty much every time you saw me in the kitchen?” Kuzon questioned.

“I gave you life. You could at least grill me a cheese!”

“She never wants the normal grilled cheese. For her it’s always with bacon, thinly shaved avocado and she wants both sides of the bread toasted.”

“It’s the only way to eat it!”

Lin chuckled. “My mother had a rule, if we pass the food court get her something. Suyin forgot once, and mom docked her allowance. She said why am I giving you allowance if you don’t bring me something to eat?”

“I never got allowance,” Kuzon teased his mother, “Yet you always want food.”

“I allowed you to come onto this Earth!”

“You always have that trump card.”

“And I always will.”

When Kuzon got his girlfriend’s stuff upstairs, Azula asked him where was Lin sleeping.

“She is I …”

“Just kidding. You already knocked her up. You may as well share a bed, but if you two get too noisy, well don’t get too noisy.”

“Oh leave them alone,” Ty Lee dragged her lover to bed.

“I would say use condoms but too late!”

Lin laughed. “She’s sweet, in her own way.”

“I think that qualifier’s necessary. Let’s go to bed.”

* * *

They got a brunch before their sendoff and Ty Lee sent their son home with cookies and jerky like she always did.

“You’re the best Mama.” He kissed her cheek and hugged her before he left.

When he opened the tin, he saw, “oh she made a pouch of cookies for you too.” There were two bags of cookies. One said Lin and the other said Kuzon.

“She knows how to spoil us.”

“Yeah she does.”

On the way home, they talked about when they would come back next. The fifth month was approaching, which was when they could check the genders and the sixth month was when they would be able to check the bending. Kuzon thought they should visit one month for the gender and then the next month for the bending.

“I know it’s a bit away so I don’t want to drive up there all the time.”

“It is relaxing,” Lin said, “once you adjust to your mothers’ banter.”

“I’m still adjusting.”

She got home and Kuzon was getting their stuff out the car. That evening, she had another interview with the scoop, and he would want to hear all about Kuzon’s mothers.

For now, though, she could sit and eat cookies. Damn these are good!


	13. Not What It Seems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenzin is determined to find the truth about Kuzon

Lin was five months pregnant. Just like the grandmothers had suspected, they had a boy and a girl. Everyone who had bet on two girls or two boys was out of the pool. There was a separate bet that only did bending, so they could enter that to try and redeem themselves, or they could give up now.

Toph came by to see her daughter. “Hey fat butt!”

“Hey crusty wench!”

“So you got a boy and a girl. I heard it from the radio! You could have told me.”

“Yeah, but I’d knew your meddling self would appear soon enough.”

“Me? Meddle?”

“Yeah, you!”

“So, how is the betting pool looking?”

“A lot of people bet two boys, so whoever wins is going to get a good pot of money.”

“Are you still in?”

“I was never in but I claimed a 50 coin fee since I’m the one who’s going to have to push these suckers out.”

“Hah, good one. Who’s still in?”

“Both grandmothers, well two of the three grandmothers are in and a few other people, but I don’t remember all their names.”

“So how was going to that cabin in the woods?”

“They actually live in a fancier house than I thought. He bought his mom a better house when he got his job with the agency. It was nice. His mom is a great cook and she bakes.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, cookies, smoked chicken, the best apple pie and …”

“So she was helping you get fat!”

“Laugh all you want, but that food was ooh yeah!”

“So basically this guy is perfect with a perfect mother. Is he like an evil spirit or some junk?”

“No!” Lin snorted, “But his family has his own issues too. They all managed to move past it.”

“You think you and Su will ever move past it?”

“I used to think not, but if his mothers can still get along after all that’s happened, I guess anything’s possible.”

“She did ask about you.”

“Is she still a beatnik?”

“No. She’s married and has three buggers.”

“Already. Dang, I think I’m done after these two.”

“It’s two more than I thought you’d have.”

“Did you mean to have us?”

“Suyin certainly not. The guy I was dating when you were conceived, he said he wanted kids. I wasn’t so sure. When I got pregnant, he said this would be good for us, and then he ran away, so I sort of meant to have you I guess.”

That might be the closest to the truth Lin ever hears. “I guess not planning children is something we have in common.”

“Yeah, but seriously, you won out. If your guy had a living father, I’d try to get him.”

Maybe you knew him already. “Please tell me my father wasn’t from the Southern Water Tribe.”

“Would it matter if he was?”

“I’d rather not entertain the idea that my half brother knocked me up.”

“Oh,” Toph hadn’t thought about that. “No, he wasn’t.”

“Thank you.” I hope that’s true.

“That’s actually true, unlike most of the other stuff I tell you.”

“Duly noted.”

***

In the following article, Lin detailed her visit with Tenzin’s family. “Do we always get along, obviously not, but our families have been close since before we existed. We have to find a way to make our family situation fit somehow.”

“And how was that dinner?”

“It was entertaining to say the least. My mother challenged me to a fight outside, and since I’m expecting, Kuzon took my place and they kind of leveled Tenzin’s yard. He was not amused, but the rest of us were.”

“He must be quite a fighter to keep up with your mother. She takes no prisoners.”

“He had a successful military career and his mothers had trained him in firebending and martial arts before that.”

“And you also met his mothers, how was that?”

“Oh they were great. His mom made all kinds of delicious food. His mother tried to eat it all. They bickered over it like an old married couple. It was adorable.”

“How did they expect react to you as a potential daughter in law?”

“I don’t think they were really vetting me. If they were, they were very subtle about it. I think they were just curious about me more than anything else.”

“And what did they have to say about the twins?”

“They joined the pool at work as to how they’ll come out. They’re both still in it, since they both bet on a boy and a girl.”

“They bet separately?”

“Oh yes. His mom had to pay his mother 50 coins since they had a bet on multiple births.”

“Oh so they’re in on the fun from a distance.”

“Yeah. We’re going to visit them again once we know the bending abilities.”

* * *

 

Tenzin had a paper in his hand, reading the latest update on Lin’s pregnancy. He knew there was something off about Kuzon, there had to be. He had talents that only people in the Fire Nation royal family were known to possess and not even all of them had it. Fire Lord Zuko never learned to throw lightening. How could this random bastard do it?

He had to find out who this guy’s mother was. She had to be the key to all of this.

According to the article, they were visiting again after once they knew the bending, so six months into her pregnancy.

Tenzin wanted to follow them, but he might be seen. Instead, he put a tracer on Kuzon’s car. He would be able to figure out where he went and then could drive up later. There was something suspicious about this guy. He was amongst the world’s best firebender, but no one knew who his mother or father was. There had to be a reason.

“Tenzin, are you coming to breakfast?” Pema called out to him. It had been ready for a few minutes now.

“Yes dear!” He went out to eat. He’d have to watch the monitor later.

***

“I’m so excited about our babies.” Lin told Kuzon as they got in the car.

“Me too. It’s almost time.”

It would obviously be Pema’s time first, but she hadn’t popped yet. Tenzin hadn’t yet told the media that their daughter was an airbender. After Lin chewed him out for the consequences of his blabbermouth, he hadn’t been as excited to share everything with the public. It was kind of ironic.

She got mad at his blabbing so he stopped. He got mad about the rumors so he told her to set them straight and now the media can’t get enough of her interviews. Everyone’s talking about her and this young guy who writes about her. She just made his career.

***

Tenzin didn’t get a chance to leave his home until after his wife fell asleep. It would take him too long to get to the house if he had left while Pema was awake.

He made the two-hour drive away from the city and parked about 100m down the road from the house. Using his airbending, he quietly got close to the home.

It was late, but Kuzon and his mother were still awake.

“So are you excited for being a dad?”

“I am, but I’m scared too. What if I suck at it?”

“You’ve never sucked at a thing in your life,” the woman snapped at him. “You clearly love Lin, even her blind as a badger mole mother can see that and more importantly, you’re not afraid to do what it takes to be with her.

I loved your father, and I believe he loved me too, but he wasn’t strong enough. He would have had to ruin his marriage, his career, and possibly the relationships he had with his friends and family for us to have tried to work. It was too much for him to handle, especially all at once.

I knew it the moment he saw you and your sister, so I let him out the easy way. I wanted you to have parents who would be able to give everything, not try somewhat just to mess it up when life got too hard.

Is Lin worth everything to you?”

“Yes.”

“Then your kids will be too. When you see them, you’ll see you and her and know how awesome it is that you found her. I might regret a lot of stupid stuff I did in my life, but I never regretted your father, and I’ll never regret you or your sister.”

“Thanks Mom!”

“Now get your butt inside. Lin is missing you right now.”

“And what about your lady?”

“What lady? I’m just sleeping with your mom.”

Kuzon shook his head and went inside.

Azula put out the lights when she went inside, but she had a hand torch so she could see. It was then Tenzin realized who he was.

“His mother is Azula?”

There’s no way Lin would know. She must have given a false name. He has to get Kuzon away from her.


	14. Chapter 14

Tenzin was trying to figure out how to confront Kuzon. It wasn’t easy. If the man wasn’t working, he was over at Lin’s, and Pema was going to go into labor soon. He had to be with her.

Before he could challenge the man, his wife’s water broke.

“TENZIN!” 

He rushed her to the hospital.

She was screaming hysterically. He tried to keep her calm, but he was doing a terrible job.

“Don’t worry. You’ll get pain medicine soon!”

Unfortunately, he was wrong. “We can’t give her anything until she’s closer to delivery.”

“WHAT?”

She was not a happy camper.

“Pema, I’m sorry I …”

“Sorry my ASS!”

Kya could hear Pema’s screaming down the hall. “This way,” she yelled. She and Bumi came to find Pema and Tenzin.

“Your baby’s favorite aunt and uncle are here to save the day.”

“I want this BABY OUT OF ME!”

Katara and Toph came next. 

“Oh man, she’s gonna burst!” Toph told her.

“Really?” Tenzin complained.

“Get her out of HERE!” Pema yelled.

“Calm your titties. You ain’t the only one who’s popped out a sucker!”

Katara led her out the room.

“It’s not like she can bend at me, like you did during labor Sugar Queen.”

Katara rolled her eyes.

“Is Lin coming?” Tenzin asked when he left the room.

“She wasn’t sure if that would be appropriate,” Toph told her.

“It would be nice to see her if she’s up for it.”

After a delivery full of screaming and finger pointing, Baby Jinora was born.

Lin wasn’t so sure about this, but she came to see the baby girl. Plus, her mother was there.

“Look, it’s fat butt!”

“Shut up you old wench!”

“So what are you having Linny?” Bumi questioned.

“She’s a firebender and he’s an earthbender, so Kuzon’s birth mother won the bet.”

“Oh, she got a nice chunk of change didn’t she?” Toph questioned.

“Oh yeah. She really wanted the bragging rights though, and a granddaughter that’s pretty like she is, her words exactly.”

“Hah, she sounds like a bitch. I bet I’d like her.”

“She seemed fond of you, from what she knows anyway. If she met you however ….”

“Shut up fat butt!”

Tenzin raced to Lin’s house. This was his chance to take care of Kuzon once and for all.

Tenzin banged on the door, startling Kuzon who had dropped Lin off at the hospital, so he wouldn’t have any drama with Tenzin.

“What are you doing here? Didn’t you just become a father?”

“I know who you are.”

“What?”

“I know why you won’t tell anyone who your mother is.”

“Because it’s not their business.”

“Because she’s a fugitive.”

Kuzon shook his head. “Her legal problems are her business, not mine.”

“I bet Lin won’t see it that way.”

“Why don’t you ask her and find out?”

“You didn’t tell her the truth.”

“According to you.”

“She’s sworn to uphold the law!”

“In her jurisdiction. My mother’s never come here. Lin would have had no reason to arrest her.”

“I think it’s best if you skip town.”

“Are you nuts? Why?”

“You’ll be arrested for harboring a fugitive.”

“I don’t harbor her, and there’s no duty to call the police, even if you do know where a fugitive lives.”

“I’ll call the police on her.”

“Are you stupid? She’s evaded the authorities for almost 60 years. She can escape a bald-headed twit. She evaded an entire army for decades.”

Kuzon refused to back down. If he needed to, he’d drive down there right now and get his mother.

“You might be in the clear, but your adopted mother isn’t. She’s been keeping this secret for decades, protecting her illegally and if you don’t want your mother in a jail cell, then you’ll,” Tenzin didn’t even see it coming, Kuzon punched him in the nose, shattering it. 

“I’m going to tell you this one time you pathetic little shit. If you ever threaten my family again, you won’t have a family to go home to, because I will end you. You got the woman you wanted. She even just gave you an airbender tonight, but instead of being with her and your family, as you should be, you’re here, trying to scare me away from Lin. 

Are you really so bitter and nasty that you would rather her raise her twins alone than have a man who loves her more than you ever could? If you are, I pity your children and your wife. 

I’m only going to say this once, stay away from Lin if you know what’s good for you.”

Kuzon threw Tenzin out and slammed the door. Tenzin had to get his face fixed before his wife saw.

Kuzon radioed the hospital, needing to get a hold of Lin before Tenzin could.

“Chief Bei Fong, it’s for you,” the orderly told her.

“I’m not on duty.” Why would someone call her here?

“Lin, are you the only one who can hear me?”

“No, let me move.”

She left the room. “Kuzon, what’s wrong with you?”

“Tenzin was here. He tried to scare me into skipping town.”

“What?” He left the hospital? Lin had been walking around with her mother.

“He knows who my mother is. I have to drive down there now.”

“That little shit!”

“Yeah, I might have broken his nose.”

“Oh, Sugar Queen’s gonna want your balls.”

“Yeah, I’ll deal with her later. If you don’t see me before morning, you know why.”

“Call me back when you can.”

“Is everything okay?” Toph questioned.

“No. Someone’s trying to blackmail Kuzon.”

“What? Why?” What is his weakness?

“Some drama involving his birth mother. They were trying to shake him down figuring he’d move to protect her.”

“Shit! Is he dealing with this the boring way or his way?”

“He started throwing punches. He wanted me to know in case well, I have to arrest him.”

“He even reports his own bad actions. He either had the best home training ever, or he’s super whipped!”

“Maybe it’s both.”

Tenzin slipped back into the hospital and hissed for his sister. 

“Tenzin, there you are!” 

Pema’s been looking for him. She got closer. 

“What the hell happened to your face?”

“Please, just fix it before mother sees.”

“Okay, okay!” Kya healed him and reset his nose. “You should probably wear a mask until it’s done.”

He shook his head. “I can’t let anyone know what happened.”

“Where did you go? Who would have just punched you in the face?”

“Can you keep a secret?”

She nodded. They went into an empty room. “I found out who Kuzon’s mother is.”

“What?”

“She’s Azula.”

“You mean …”

“Crazy, homicidal, killed our father once Azula.”

“So?”

“What do you mean so? She’s a fugitive.”

“For crimes that happened what 60 years ago. If she hasn’t done anything bad since then, why shouldn’t she get a second chance?”

Tenzin frowned.

“What did you do?”

“I confronted Kuzon about it, and he hit me.”

“Of course he hit you. You threatened his mother. If someone came up to me with some dark secret from Mom’s past, I’d let him have it.”

“That doesn’t give him the right to …”

“Oh don’t start talking about right. You had no right to meddle in his personal business. What did you think, that Lin would leave him if she knew?”

His glare said it all.

“It’s her business not yours. You dumped her. You don’t get to try and play hero now.”

“I’m not playing anything.”

“It sounds like you got your ass beat, and you deserved it. Just keep your big mouth shut!”

Kya took Tenzin back to the room.

“Sorry I was missing. I got so excited, I started puking.”

“Damn, you’re a pussy,” Toph told him. 

“TOPH!” Katara yelled.

“What? At least Lin’s man is all manly and stuff. I bet he’ll be drinking whiskey and have a cigar in his hand when he’s a father.”

“He can’t have a cigar in the hospital,” Bumi told her. “Or else I’d have one right now.”

***

Kuzon drove straight to his mother’s house. He knew it was late and they would not appreciate his dropping in, but he didn’t have much of a choice.

When Azula heard him, she was ready for a burglar. She poised to throw lightening when a blue flame turned on her lights. “It’s me mother.”

“Azulon, what are you doing here?”

“Lin’s ex, he knows who you are. He threatened to have you arrested.”

“The avatar’s punk for a son, him?”

“Yes. I came straight here. I think we should leave. He must have followed me here last time.”

“Oh crud!”

He helped them pack the essentials and loaded the car.

“How did he even find you? You would have seen him if he followed you for two hours.” Ty Lee told him.

“Maybe he bugged the car,” Kuzon muttered. “I can check later, but we have to go now.”

He drove his mothers to his apartment in Republic City and told them they could stay here. “I have the rent on auto pay, so you don’t have to do anything.”

He had been staying in Lin’s place most nights anyway.

“I’ll come by with groceries.”

“I can get them,” Ty Lee told her. 

“He threatened you too, for harboring her. You should stay hidden or wear a disguise.”

“Trust me Azulon, we know how to disguise ourselves.”

Kuzon went to Lin’s and passed out. She was already in bed when he got there.

“You made it before sunrise.”

“Yeah, I had to get them settled in my apartment.”

“Tenzin’s an asshole.”

“Did he say anything to you?”

“No, but he made up some b.s. excuse about vomiting because he was so excited to be a father.”

“He wanted me to skip town to ensure his silence. I decked him instead.”

“I would have decked him myself.”

“He thought I was hiding it from you, and I’d be too scared to tell you.”

“We should get your mother a lawyer.”

“That’s a good idea. I know some people who owe me some favors.”

“I’m not going to ask.”

“Good. I’d have to lie anyway.”


	15. The Truth is Almost Here

Of course, Katara noticed the next day that something was wrong with Tenzin’s nose. “What happened to you?”

“I ran into a door.”

“Don’t lie to me,” she snapped. “That’s one of the most on point nose punches I’ve ever seen. He wrecked your nose, whoever he was.”

***

When Tenzin wouldn’t tell her what happened, Katara sicced Toph on him only to hear, “It was your charming son in law. He decked me okay.”

“KUZON!” Katara wanted to confront him right away.

“Calm down Sugar Queen. If he punched Airhead here, he had a reason, and maybe we should find out what it was before we go crazy.”

Of course, Katara went straight to the precinct to confront Lin about it.

“Let me guess, he came crying to his mommy. Maybe he got what he deserved.”

“How can you say that? Kuzon broke his nose in three places.”

“If someone threatened your family, what would you do about it?”

“What do you mean threatened?”

“He wanted Kuzon to skip town, leaving me behind. When he wouldn’t go, he tried to blackmail him, and well Kuzon doesn’t take well to threats, so he punched him. Tenzin can file assault charges if he wants, but I’m just going to arrest him for extortion in return. So he can either get over it or get locked up.”

***

Of course, Tenzin denied committing any kind of extortion. His argument, although he didn’t voice it, was that he didn’t ask Kuzon for money or anything of value, so it wasn’t extortion.

This turned into a he said she said battle and Toph had enough. “Let’s just sort this out. If Tenzin tried to blackmail Kuzon, then he must have had something on him. Kuzon, what would Tenzin know that would give him any kind of ammunition on you?”

“He knows who my birth mother is. He put a tracer on my car and went out to her house.”

“And this is a big deal why?”

“She may have an international warrant for her arrest.”

“May?”

“I don’t know if it’s still active, but it’s likely active.”

“And what did he want in return for keeping quiet?”

“For me to skip town, leaving Lin and our twins behind.”

“I believe him,” Toph said.

“Just like that?” Katara hissed.

“It makes sense. It explains why he never told us who his mother is, why Lin’s never told me even though she’s met her twice. It’s not like we would have told the papers, but us knowing inherently put his mother at risk.”

“You think Tenzin left Pema at the hospital the day his daughter was born to blackmail Kuzon?” Katara questioned.

“Well Kuzon didn’t come to the hospital, and it explains Tenzin’s bullshit story about barfing the whole time. He left and came back. He made up the story to cover his absence and his broken nose.”

***

Of course, everyone now wanted to know who Kuzon's mother was. He said he’d tell them, “If you can get the Fire Lord here.”

Katara could do that. She wrote to Zuko, explaining that Lin’s child’s father wanted an audience with him to settle a long-standing issue.

Curious about what issue he could have with this stranger, Zuko arranged to make a visit.

* * *

 

Two weeks later, they had Katara, Toph, Bumi, Kya, Tenzin, Lin, Kuzon and the Fire Lord himself all in a room.

“So why do you need me here?” Zuko questioned.

“My mother has been hiding for a long time,” Kuzon told him. “She did a lot of bad things, I know that, but she was the best mother that she could have been to me and my sister. It’s been almost sixty years. I want to be able to put my family back together again, but I can’t do it without you.”

“Why me?”

“Well, you’re the only one who can pardon her, and you’re my uncle.”

“What?” Katara said to him.

Zuko took a closer look at the man in front of him. “You’re Azula’s son.”

“Yes. Before my adopted mother changed my name to Kuzon, well for obvious reasons, she named me Azulon. She still calls me that.”

Zuko was baffled. “She’s alive?”

“Yeah. She’s quite a spitfire still.”

“Damn. I assumed she got lost in that valley and never came out. Well, if I couldn’t catch her after 58 years, I may as well let it go at this point.”

Zuko wrote out a pardon for her. “It won’t be good until I file the copy at the courthouse, but you can take this to her. She won’t believe you otherwise.”

He handed Kuzon the scroll. “Thank you.”

“Wait a minute?” Toph questioned. “If Azula’s your mother, then who’s your father.”

“Um, maybe she should be the one to tell you that. I don’t want to be caught in the middle, especially when I think you all know my twin sister, who probably doesn’t know she’s my sister.”

“Who raised you?” Katara questioned.

“Ty Lee.”

“That’s where she went!” Zuko remarked. “She just wandered away to United Republic one day without telling anyone why she was moving.”

“Well,” Kuzon made a blue flame. “When she saw this, she knew she had to hide me, so we moved away.”

“How did no one find you before?” Toph questioned. She could feel the blue flame, even though she couldn’t see it.

“I always turn it down, and I used to keep my hair buzzed. If anyone was suspicious, then they didn’t say anything to me about it. I actually thought my advertising job would make it too obvious, but no one thought about it until now.”

“Well I’ll be damned,” Zuko said. “Your mother must have taught you how to lie.”

“She did. I’ll never be as good as she is. She didn’t want to tell me who my father was when I was a child, so she convinced me it was the avatar.”

“WHAT?” Katara yelled.

“Don’t worry. She told me the truth eventually.”

“I want to hear this story,” Toph said, “even if it is a lie.”

Kuzon told them the sordid tale his mother had told him about how Katara had gotten angry and locked him out, so he got drunk and Azula ran into him at a bar. “She said she seduced him, so he wouldn’t arrest her, and then she was pregnant so she stayed hidden until I was born and gave me to Ty Lee.”

“Why would she do that?”

“What make up a story? I think she missed my father more than she wanted to admit at the time. I was 10 when she told me the truth about him and I was 13 when she told me I had a twin sister.”

Of course, everyone wanted to know who Azula’s baby daddy had been.

Katara gave her son a stern lecture on tying to scare off Kuzon. “It’s not his fault his mother is a raving psychopath.”

“I know.” He was pretty ashamed of the whole thing.


	16. The Unveiling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone learns the truth

**The Unveiling**

Azula agreed to meet with her brother and his nosy friends, if for no other reason then to make an appearance. Unbeknownst to them, however, she sent a letter to her birth daughter, asking her and her family to come.

“I understand if you don’t want to know who I am, but your brother has wondered about you for a long time. I know it was wrong to separate you from your twin, but I didn’t see a way out at the time. His girlfriend is expecting twins and it would be nice if they could get to know Korra some day.”

Senna knew she had been adopted from an early age. She asked her dad why she didn’t look like mom and he explained that they had adopted her and that her mother couldn’t have children of her own. He said that the woman who had her loved her but was sick and couldn’t raise her, so she asked him to take her instead. He brought her home and Suki had fallen in love with her right away. They never looked back.

She didn’t know, however, that she had a brother. She thought it was time that she learn what really happened to her family and brought Tonraq and Korra.

Needless to say, everyone was surprised to see her.

“Senna?” Kya was pleasantly surprised to see her cousin.

“My birth mother said she wanted us to come.”

“What?” Everyone said to her.

“It’s been a long time,” Azula said to her little girl, who was now a grown woman with a little girl of her own.

“You’re Senna’s mother?” Katara hissed at her.

“Birth mother. I could hardly replace Suki under the circumstances.”

“The avatar’s your granddaughter?” Tenzin questioned.

Everyone glared at him.

“Oops!”

“I already knew that,” Azula said. “I may not have been visible, but I was watching both of my children as best I could. Remember when your mother won the lottery, and it was really lucky because you all were about to get evicted from your apartment?” she asked Senna.

“I do. How did you (know)?”

“There was no lottery. I forged the ticket and sent the money myself.”

“She did,” Ty Lee confirmed. “I saw her make the forgery.”

“How did you get that kind of money?” Senna asked her.

“I well, does my pardon cover that?” she asked her brother.

He shook his head. “I don’t even want to know.”

“I’ll tell you someday. Anyway, I know you all want to know who their father was, but I would rather tell Senna first. It’s not like her father or I have been particularly honest with her, and I don’t think she should have to hear this in front of a crowd.”

Azula, Senna and Tonraq went into a separate room.

* * *

 

 

Kuzon saw his niece for the first time.

“Hi Korra,” he sat down to play with her. She had a toy train that she liked to roll on the floor.

“The suspense is killing me!” Toph whined.

“Oh hush, I had to wait 10 years to hear this,” Kuzon retorted.

“I was left waiting 58 years,” Zuko complained. “No one tells me anything!”

“You should get better spies,” Kuzon answered.

“Oh, your nephew’s throwing shade!” Bumi answered.

* * *

 

“WHAT?” Senna yelled when Azula told her.

“I didn’t want to ruin your parents’ marriage. They went through a rough patch. Sokka thought she was going to leave him. She had become distant and was short tempered with him. We ran into each other one day and we started talking. We got closer and closer, and we had an affair.

Eventually, Suki explained that she couldn’t have kids and that’s why she was so depressed. She and your father had been trying for years. She knew he needed an heir to run the tribe. She thought he’d leave her, so she withdrew from him first.

When he realized what happened, he rushed to her side again, but you and your brother had already been conceived. I didn’t want to break up the marriage, but I wasn’t sure what to do. When you two were born, an obvious solution came about. No one would be able to look at you and tell you were Fire Nation. I gave you to your father, and he told Suki that he adopted you. I gave your brother to Ty Lee, and I walked away.

I didn’t think I’d ever meet you. I probably wouldn’t have if this whole love triangle drama hadn’t come about. I wanted you to have something of mine, so I gave my music box to your father to give to you.

“The red and gold one?”

“Yeah, you remember.”

“I still have it.”

“He gave me his space sword to give to Azulon. It wasn’t fair of us, I know, but you both came out so well. I don’t think it would have been the case if I had raised you.”

Senna was pretty upset, but she wasn’t angry. How could her father never tell her? She understood why he didn’t tell mother, but how could he keep this from her? He should have met his only son. She should have grown up with her brother. At least she got closure. Kuzon never would.

“I need a minute.”

Azula nodded sadly and walked away.

“So, as I think you all know at this point, Senna and Azulon’s father was married, so I gave them each to a different person, so that no one would make the connection between them.

It probably seems like an odd choice that I gave Senna to Sokka and maybe even odder that he never told any of you about it.

The reason I picked Sokka to raise her was because he was her father all along. I didn’t want Suki to leave him, not after he just got her back, so I forged some papers, so he could say he adopted her. Suki must have never confirmed with the agency or else she would have realized that they were made up.”

Everyone just stared at her. Sokka had twins with Azula? He cheated on Suki?

Zuko couldn’t believe it.

Katara didn’t believe it. “How could you make up such a ridiculous story?”

“What?”

“I mean it’s bad enough you told your son Aang was his father, but Sokka too. Seriously what’s wrong with you?”

“I didn’t make it up. I can prove it. Azulon, take off your shirt.”

“What?”

“You have a birthmark, just like your father’s. Take off your shirt.”

He reluctantly did, causing Kya to whistle at him.

“He’s your cousin!” Lin scolded.

“EW!” Kya remembered.

Tenzin frowned. It meant Kuzon was his cousin too.

On his shoulder was a moon shaped birthmark, just like Sokka’s.

“I don’t believe it,” Katara said. She took a closer look at his arm. “Sokka and my father had the same mark.”

Senna was talking to her husband. “I feel like I don’t know who I am anymore. My birth mother was a princess, which makes me a princess. My father was my father, which means I’m his love child and not just adopted. My twin brother’s having twins with Lin. It’s just so weird.”

“You are the same woman you were yesterday,” Tonraq told her. “So you came about differently than you had once believed. Suki is still your mother. Sokka was always your father. No he wasn’t exactly the man you thought he was, but he loved you. You know that.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“You don’t have to lose anyone, but you can gain a new family, if you want to.”

She did. Her brother was marrying a childhood friend of hers. She would be an aunt in just a couple of months. She had a mother to meet. Senna came out.

“Mommy, grandma taught me how to do this.” Korra made her first flame.

Senna grinned. “What do you say?”

“Thanks Grandma!”

Azula grinned. “She’s so cute!”


	17. Here They Come

Two months later

Lin’s water broke. Her mother said her fat butt couldn’t get through the door, but luckily Kuzon was there to carry her to the car. Toph ran her mouth the whole way to the hospital, but Kuzon just played the music louder.

Lin silently thanked him for that.

They got to the hospital and from there, made their notifications.

Lin couldn’t believe how many people showed up.

“Well, we do have a huge family now.”

“We? You had to be the child of Uncle Sokka and a Princess.”

“You’re stuck with them too!”

“Oh don’t remind me.”

Aunt Katara came with her children. Pema and Jinora stayed at home, but she sent her wishes.

Uncle Zuko came with his daughter, Crown Princess Ursa and grandson, Prince Iroh.

Ty Lee and Azula were there and so were Senna, Tonraq and Avatar Korra.

* * *

 

When Zuko introduced Azula to her niece, she said, “of course you named her after Ursa. You did always have mommy issues.”

The crown princess gasped.

Prince Iroh just laughed. “I like her.”

Zuko shook his head.

***

While they were waiting for Lin to pop, Azula and Senna went for a walk. They had a lot of catching up to do.

Korra made a flame and threw it at Tenzin. “I’m gonna conquer Ba Sing Se. Try and stop me!”

Tenzin was appalled.

Toph, Bumi, and Kya burst into hysterics. “That was amazing.”

“Oh, that was so cute,” Ty Lee cooed. “She’s pretending to be her grandmother while chasing the son of the past avatar, and she’s the avatar.”

“Azula’s not allowed to babysit Korra ever again,” Zuko insisted.

“You let her babysit?” Katara asked Tonraq.

“We didn’t really have anyone else, and she is her grandmother. We thought Ty Lee would prevent these shenanigans.”

“You think I can control her. It’s been hard enough keeping her out of jail for the past 30 some odd years.”

“How did you keep Azula hidden so well?” Toph asked her.

“She came and went. I didn’t have her there all the time. It wasn’t until Kuzon was 11 that she became more of a regular fixture in the house. Every now and then she’d come in with a bag of coins and refuse to answer how she got it. She just said, it’s rightfully Azulon’s, whatever that means.”

Zuko shook his head. _Who knows what she did?_

“I thought she was an assassin given her training, but I don’t think so anymore.”

“And you let her babysit,” Katara told Tonraq.

“Korra loves her. She’s says grandma is so much fun. I should have known it was troublesome fun.”

“That’s what grandmas are for,” Toph insisted!

“I’d let Azula babysit before you,” Lin told her mother.

“Of course you would, you ungrateful fat butt!”

* * *

 

Azula told her daughter how she managed to make all that money to keep her and Azulon afloat. “I know parents are supposed to do more, but I thought I would just put you in danger if I appeared. I had no way of knowing how hard Zuko had been looking for me or whom he had sent. It seemed safer to stay at a distance in case there was a firefight.”

Senna hugged her. “You have no idea how much we needed that money. Dad had lost his savings in a pyramid scheme. All of his hard work just vanished and then one day, it just came back. I thought the spirits had blessed us and I think they did.”

Azula hugged her right back. “I’d do anything for you or your brother. Did you know that you’re a descendant of Avatar Roku?”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I wonder if the avatar spirit is attracted to certain bloodlines.”

“I had no idea she was the avatar until Uncle Zuko found me. There had been a plot to kidnap her. They tried again about nine months ago.”

“I know some less than reputable people,” Azula admitted. “Maybe I could find some dirt as to why.”

They headed back to the hospital room.

***

“Your daughter threw fire at Tenzin and insisted she would conquer Ba Sing Se.”

“YES!” Azula laughed. “This avatar is gonna rock!”

Zuko and Katara scolded her, not that she cared.

“Who’s the best?”

“Grandma!” Korra yelled.

“Oh yeah!”

“How did she?” Senna was amazed Korra learned from her so quickly.

“She’s really good at that,” her brother told her.

“I got a firebending grandbaby, an earthbending grandbaby, and an avatar grandbaby. I’m going to have the most awesome grandchild army ever!”

“How is she still so crazy?” Tenzin questioned.

“I’ll show you crazy, you little whippersnapper.” She chased him out the room throwing fire all the way.

Katara and Zuko were appalled.

Lin and Kuzon could barely contain themselves they were laughing so hard.

“You run like an old man. Your twelve year old father fought better!” she yelled.

“At least she distracted me from the pain,” Lin said once she could breathe.

Senna scooped up Korra and kissed her head. “Your grandma loves you, but sometimes you shouldn’t do what she says.”

“But she’s fun!”

“Yes, she is.”

***

Tenzin came back to the room winded. “How can she run so fast at her old age?”

“Who you calling old?” she was right behind him.

“Mother, I think you should give him a break now,” Kuzon told her.

“Well, if you insist,” she said sardonically.

Ty Lee sat on her lap to keep her still. “How have you not been kicked out of the hospital?”

“I might have pushed an old man in a wheelchair down the hall, so the orderly had to chase him instead of me.”

Katara gasped. “Are you insane?”

“He was fine!”

“Why did I waste my time looking for you?” Zuko questioned.

“Because Zuzu loves to punish himself!”

“Uncle Zuzu!” Korra said.

Azula gave Korra a candy.

“No wonder she loves you,” Ty Lee retorted.

“Duh. I bribe children with candy. It’s how I taught Azulon that mother knows best.”

“She still bribes me with candy,” Kuzon told his girlfriend.

***

After hours of laughing at or scolding Azula, the group was ready for the twins and they were ready to come out.

Lin screamed and cursed for a good 25 minutes, and then Princess Ty Lee Bei Fong and Prince Aang Bei Fong were born. They each named a child after a surrogate parent.

Ty Lee had her father’s gold eyes, but her mother’s face. Aang had his mother’s eyes, but his father’s face.

“That’s so ironic,” Azula said. “I named you after my grandfather, who your grandmother killed and you named him Aang who I killed.”

Everyone got the irony, but it was so disturbing that they gaped like they didn’t get it.

“Azula, why did you have to say that?” Zuko yelled at her.

“It was 60 years ago. Get over it!”

The two siblings bickered like they always did.

“Why did I pardon you?”

“Cause you’re soft!”

“I’ll un-pardon you.”

“You can’t. I checked with my lawyer. I can annoy you as much as I want.”

“Why?”

“Because, I was born lucky. You were lucky to be born.”

“I hate you!”

“I love you too Zuzu!”

“STOP CALLING ME THAT!”

Ursa was amazed at her father and aunt in action. “Wow, mom was right. You are both nuts!”

“I got arrested once,” Azula said, “but I didn’t want Zuko to find me, so I convinced them I was Fire Lady Mai and skipped bail, so they sent the warrant for her instead.”

“That was YOU!” Zuko yelled. “It took me a month to sort that out with whatever nameless town you were in.”

Azula laughed. “I could even prank Mai from across the world!”

Ty Lee shook her head. “How have I dealt with you for so long?”

“You know you love me … in bed.”

“MOTHER!” Kuzon yelled at her. “Out of all of the crazy things you do that I ignore, the one thing I ask is not to constantly reference your sex life in front of me. Can’t I have that one thing, please?”

“NO!” she laughed. “Although your impassioned plea was adorable!”

Kuzon shook his head.

“I can’t believe you got her pardoned. I would have given her away,” Tenzin told his cousin.

“I’m a masochist. I hear it runs in the family.”

“Good thing you’re stuck with my daughter then. I’ll really make ya miserable,” Toph promised.

“I must say though, being Azula’s son had its benefits. I remember when those bullies teased me every day because I didn’t know who my father was. Most parents would just say ignore them or they’re jealous of you.

My mother found the main bully’s house, broke into it, robbed his family blind and left them a note, saying:

I stole your stuff because your son is a bully and a jerk, and now all the kids are going to make fun of him for being poor. If you think you didn’t deserve this, then you should have raised a better son.

No one ever bullied me again, anywhere. I think people found out that if you mess with me, your house gets emptied.

Zuko’s jaw dropped. “I never heard anything so outrageous.”

“Oh really? Hey Senna. Remember those punks at your high school you used to bully you. Remember when their cars all disappeared. I sank them all into the river. I left them notes. They know why.”

Senna covered her mouth.

“No one messes with my kids!”

“I love how her blatant thievery is what you consider her redeeming parenting skill,” Lin told her boyfriend.

“Well, your family bred cops. Mine bred criminals. It’s all good!”

Lin kissed him. To think, this mess all happened because they went to the same bar.


End file.
